'■$¥*• 


*W%i 


"L  I  B  R.AR.Y 

OF   THE 
U  N  IVERSITY 
Of    ILLINOIS 

977325 
tAAAVx 


llkw* -It?..* 


*i 


■  ■""■-;  \h 


■mm 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/historyofwillcou01maue 


AUGUST  MAUE 


HISTORY 

OF 

WILL  COUNTY 

ILLINOIS 

By 

AUGUST  MAUE 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES 
ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  ONE 


HISTORICAL  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

Topeka-Indianapolis 

1928 


K> 


*c 


sQ.   I 


INTRODUCTION 


I  see  from  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road, 

By  the  side  of  the  highway  of  life, 
The  men  who  press  with  the  ardor  of  hope, 

The  men  who  are  faint  with  the  strife. 
But  I  turn  not  away  from  their  smiles  nor  their  tears, 

Both,  parts  of  an  infinite  plan; 
Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

And  be  a  friend  to  man. 

Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

Where  the  race  of  men  go  by; 
They  are  good,  they  are  bad,  they  are  weak,  they  are  strong, 

Wise,  foolish — so  am  I. 
Then  why  should  I  sit  in  the  scorner's  seat, 

Or  hurl  the  cynic's  ban? 
Let  me  live  in  my  house  by  the  side  of  the  road 

And  be  a  friend  to  man. 
(From  "The  House  by  the  Side  of  the  Road"  by  Sam  Walter  Foss). 

Such  a  road  passes  through  Will  County.  For  hundreds  of  gener- 
ations, the  races  of  men  have  been  going  by.  Today,  as  never  before, 
the  endless  streams  pass  on  this  highway  of  life.  The  latest  estimate 
says  that  human  beings  occupied  the  Western  Hemisphere  one  million 
years  ago.  Who  shall  say  that  those  early  people  did  not  follow  this 
trail? 

Before  man  came,  Nature  ruled  supreme  and  God  prepared  for  the 

abundant  life  which  came  in  due  time.     Birds  followed  this  road  in 
s 

I 


their  mysterious  semi-annual  migrations.  Within  the  bounds  of  Will 
County,  they  rested  over  night  in  safety  in  the  wooded  ravines  of 
Dellwood.  Here  they  sang  their  evening  songs  and  here  they  slum- 
bered, confident  that  He  who  directed  their  flight  would  guard  their 
resting  place. 

Buffalo  journeyed  this  way  in  their  annual  pilgrimages  because 
they  found  easy  going  on  a  smooth  trail.  The  beating  of  many  hoofs 
made  a  firm  roadway  upon  which  underbrush  found  no  root-hold. 

When  man  came  this  way  he  held  to  the  trail  prepared  by  the 
animals.     For  centuries  they  passed  and  repassed  in  their  journeys 

iii 


iv  INTRODUCTION 

from  the  inland  seas  to  the  mighty  ocean.  Perchance  some  found  their 
way  in  boats  over  the  merging  waters  extending  from  the  lake  to  the 
river  in  the  season  of  rains. 

Many  times  the  Red  Man  came  on  errands  of  peace  to  barter  for 
the  abundance  of  the  prairies.  More  often,  perhaps,  he  came  in  the 
habiliments  of  war  seeking  trophies  which  would  show  his  prowess  in 
coups,  or  his  strength  in  single  combat. 

Soon  the  White  Man  traveled  this  way,  now  on  errands  of  mercy; 
then  for  love  of  adventure ;  and  again  for  profit  in  trade  and  commerce. 
Like  the  Red  Man  they  passed  and  repassed,  ever  increasing  in  numbers 
as  speed  conquered  space.    Who  shall  say  when  the  end  will  be? 

Then  let  us  live  in  this  house  by  the  side  of  the  road  where  the 
races  of  men  go  by.  Perchance  some  are  good  and  some  are  bad; 
others  are  wise  and  still  others  are  foolish.  Not  as  scorners  nor  yet 
as  cynics  shall  we  ponder  but  rather  as  friends.  Let  us  forget  the 
bad  and  learn  the  good,  that  we  may  appreciate  the  goodness  of  the 
Creator  who  labored  a  hundred  million  years  that  we  might  enjoy  life 
to  the  uttermost. 

The  history  of  Will  County  will  fascinate  every  one  who  yields  to 
the  romance  of  the  explorers  or  the  enthusiasm  of  the  pioneer.  The 
life  of  the  first  settlers  is  rich  in  adventure  and  story.  Industry  and 
commerce  challenged  the  newcomers  just  as  it  does  now.  The  future 
beckons  onward  and  upward  into  new  realms  of  greater  achievement. 

"Though  the  territory  whereon  the  drama  has  been  played  may  be 
limited,  the  motives  of  the  men  and  their  actions  have  been  infinite  in 
their  diversity;  the  play  has  run  through  the  whole  gamut  of  human 
motives,  from  the  self  abnegation  and  humanitarianism  of  Father 
Marquette  to  the  selfishness  and  arrogance  of  the  mercenary  traders." 

Joliet,  111.,  Sept.  25,  1928  AUGUST  MAUE, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


Adam   Groth    Company 676 

Adams,  Hon.  Frederick  Ray 616 

Adams,  John  C 980 

Addleman,  O.  L 893 

Adelmann,  George  W 870 

Adler,  Jacob  C 754 

Adler,  Jacob  C.  Sr 1092 

Ahlvin,   Victor 1115 

Alderman,  George  W 1033 

Alexander,   James    Healy 825 

Allott,  George  H 901 

Anderson,  David  R 601 

Anderson,  Henry 847 

Anderson,  Waldemar 1017 

Arbeiter,  George  J 621 

Arnold,  Romus,  M.  D 822 

Aspel,  James 886 

Austin,  Hon.  Ralph  C 599 

Bachmann,  Henry 1011 

Bahlman,   Charles 970 

Bailey,  Bernard  F 766 

Baldwin,  Sarah  Jane 788 

Ball,  George 1139 

Barnes,  John  H 819 

Barr,  Richard  J 991 

Barrett,  Edward  C 1083 

Barrett,  John  O 1082 

Barrett,  William  J 890 

Barry,  Wilbur  A 670 

Baskerville,  J.  Arthur 770 

Bates,  William  O 1053 

Batterman,  George  A 959 

Batson,  Ceward  C 730 

Bauch,  Jacob  P 725 

Baumann,  August 735 

Baumann,  Charles  P 734 

Baumgartner,  Walter  H 942 

Bayley,  William  T 1012 

Beach,  Joseph  A.  H 797 

V 


Bechstein,  Christian 749 

Bechstein,  William  H 701 

Belay,  James  W 751 

Bell,  James  A 1055 

Beltzner,  August 637 

Bennitt,  Col.  Fred 1048 

Bensen,  Eugene  J 790 

Bergan,  Martin 1067 

Berger,  Charles  W 888 

Berscheid,   John   W 904 

Bertrand,  Edwin  W 1138 

Bielfeldt,  Elmer  H 636 

Biesterfeld,  Henry 1034 

Birkett,  John  R 939 

Bittermann  F.  J.  Company 761 

Bittermann,  Ferdinand  J 760 

Black,  Barrett 787 

Blatt,  Daniel  N 810 

Blim,  Charles  H 761 

Bloomfield,  Matt,  M.  D 757 

Boardman,   Frank   C 814 

Bode,  Henry  F 1052 

Bolstad,  Theodore 794 

Bolton,  DeWitt  L 1109 

Bostwick,  Link  C 1079 

Boughton,  Wilbur  W 1008 

Bourgo,  Alfred  M 785 

Bowles,  Marion  (Kelly),  M.  D 1077 

Bowles,  William  A 1078 

Boyd,  James  S 1027 

Braham,  Leonard  W 666 

Brannon,  Londus,  M.  D. 840 

Bretz,  Frank  E 795 

Brewster,  Edward  A 758 

Briese,  Paul  A 1127 

Britz,  Nicholas  J 1015 

Brown,  Horace  H 796 

Brown,  Raymond  S.,  M.  D 826 

Brumund,  Frank  G 634 

Brunson,  Elial  S 879 


VI 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


Burke,  James  E 631 

Burke,  Niies 1125 

Bush,  Charles  F 777 

Cameron,  Lloyd  W 1128 

Cappel,  Albert  C 710 

Cappel,  Emil  D 708 

Cappel,  Fred 709 

Cappel,  John 718 

Carey,  John  F.,  M.  D 662 

Carlson,  Clarence  A 694 

Carlson,  Gustaf  A 684 

Carlson,  John  L 663 

Carnaghi,  Frank  J 1045 

Carter,  W.  H 900 

Casey,  Earl  C 626 

Chalstrom,  John  E 1064 

Chamberlin,  Fred  M 712 

Champion  Machinery  Company,  The  698 

Cheadle,  Charles  B 692 

Cinotto,  Dominick 924 

Citizens   Bank   of  Frankfort 874 

Citizens  State  Bank  of  Peotone,  The  979 

Clare,  William  Henry 593 

Clark,  I.  J 1063 

Clark,  Philip 914 

Clow,  John  B 813 

Clyne,  John  T 597 

Coldwater,  John 807 

Commercial  National  Bank  of  Wil- 
mington, The 1033 

Conrad,  John  P.__ 971 

Conrad,  John  P.  F 988 

Cooper,  Elmer  L 695 

Cooper,  Gilbert 689 

Corlett,  Edward 994 

Cornish,  E.  G 691 

Corp,  Archibald 729 

Crabb,  James  M.  Sr 936 

Cryder,  W.  H 931 

Dailey,  Aloysius  P 899 

Daly,  John  F. 1087 

Darby,  Edmund  P 1138 

Daugherty,  Dr.  F.  B 1039 

Davidson,  Mrs.  Lois 858 

Davis,  Thomas  C 841 

Deininger,  Henry  W 985 

Delander,  Albion  F 680 

Deutsche,  F.  C 979 

Deutschman,  Franklin  A. 806 


Devine,  John 836 

Diersen,  John  C. 956 

Di  Nunzio,  Lorenzo 827 

Donahue,   James    (Joliet) 1088 

Donahue,  James    (Lockport) 876 

Donna,  S.  V 921 

Dooley,  Frank  B 1113 

Dorsey,  James 898 

Dow,  Welcome  L 857 

Downey,  Irma  Read 851 

Ducett,  W.  W 837 

Duensing,  Elmer  F 1133 

Egan,  Thomas  F 1089 

Ehlers,  Alfred  W 619 

Ehlers,  H.  E 962 

Eldred,  Charles  D.,  M.  D 753 

Elwood,  William  N 771 

Emde,   Fred   H 976 

Erickson,  Gustaf  B 696 

Eskilson,  Christian  B 1037 

Essington,  Clyde  G 940 

Essington,  Elmer  R 1007 

Evans,  Bernard  A 799 

Fahey,  Patrick  D 744 

Fahrner,  Arthur  H.,  M.  D 1020 

Farley,  Charles  Joseph_l 669 

Farmers  State  Bank  of  Beecher,  The  963 

Fay,  William  E 698 

Fedde,  Edward  H 981 

Ferguson,  J.  Lee 848 

Field,  David  E 645 

First  National  Bank  of  Braidwood__  908 

Fish,  Charles  Manning 737 

Fletcher,  William  R.,  M.  D 632 

Flexer,  Howard  N.,  M.  D 639 

Flint,  Axel 682 

Flint,  Thomas 681 

Folk,  Jay  Albert 685 

Folk,  Julius  W.,  Dr 686 

Force,  Richard 1089 

Francis,  Fred  A 740 

Francis,  Thomas  L 922 

Frankfort  State  Bank 723 

Freeman,  Michael 667 

French,  Charles  R.,  D.  D.  S 705 

Frey,  Jas.  H 1097 

Frick,  Dr.  Walter  C 915 

Fritz,  Fred  H 880 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


vn 


Geist,  Ervin  T 598 

George,  Homer 1036 

Gerdes,  Harry  G 950 

Gerlach,  Theodore  R 1074 

Geuther,  Fred 1099 

Geuther,  Milton  C 700 

Gilkerson,  Herbert  N 1056 

Godden,  Rev.  William  C 859 

Golobrig,   Anton 1127 

Goodmanson,  Peter  A 1116 

Goodson,  H.   A 1106 

Goodspeed,  Edith  I 728 

Gray,  Charles  E 854 

Green,   Dennison  D 1035 

Gross,  Oscar 802 

Gustafson,  E.  J 845 

Hack,  Henry 965 

Hacker,  George  F 765 

Hacker,   George   J 710 

Hafenrichter,  Ezra  E 1030 

Hafenrichter,    Reuben    R 1029 

Haldemann,  Arthur  J 1139 

Haley,  John  P 721 

Haley,  Patrick  C 720 

Haley,   Robert   E 774 

Handorf,  John  F 743 

Handorf,  John  M.  Sr 1016 

Hansen,  James 1124 

Hansen,   Otto 1137 

Harris,  Eugene  Nelson 784 

Harsh,  Wallace  G 990 

Hartmann,  Otto 1112 

Hartong,  C.  F 933 

Harwood  Post  No.  5,  Joliet 673 

Hasenjaeger,   Fred  L 872 

Hasey,  Charles  O 778 

Hayden,  John  P 756 

Hayne,  Robert 1031 

Hazel,,  Edmund  J 1111 

Hebert,  Alfred  J 775 

Hedgcock,  J.  Franklin 1095 

Hedges,  Walter  V.,  M.  D 723 

Heggie,  James  G 804 

Heilman,  Rev.  Howard  M.,  D.  D.__  987 

Heintz,  James  M 943 

Henebry,  Joseph  A 1026 

Henley,  Fred  W 1021 

Hennessy,  Rev.  P.  J 736 

Henry,  Claude  O 951 


Hensel,  Richard 706 

Herkert,  Leo  M 968 

Heun,  William  H 653 

Hicks,  Henry  F 944 

Higby,   Lauren  Frank 902 

Hill,  George  R 648 

Hinricks,  Charles  F 638 

Hintz,  Edward  C 788 

Hinz,  Edward  C 1070 

Hinze,  William  J 969 

Hirsch,  Charles  E 716 

Hitchens,  Rev.  J.  J 1022 

Hoerrmann,   Frank   S 949 

Holl,  William 1135 

Hollstein,   Wesley  R 1101 

Hoover,  Paul  V.,  D.  D.  S 1129 

Houston;  Grant,  M.  D 1001 

Houston,   Lloyd   B 781 

Howk,  Fred  Matteson 623 

Huey,  Walter  B.,  M.  D 779 

Hulbert,  Clinton  R 1040 

Huston,  Eugene  C 1076 

Hutchinson,  Albert  E 786 

Hutton,  F.  S 874 

Hyatt,  Frank  E 780 

Hynd,  Truby 923 

Ideal  Concrete  Company,  The 690 

Ireland,  Thomas  John,  D.  D.  S 699 

Ivec,  Martin  J.,  M.  D 792 

Jackson,  Nicholas  J.,  M.  D 1088 

Jackson,  Thomas  C. 918 

Jeffrey,  Archibald  C 1072 

Jenco,  John  M 856 

Johnson,  Charles  A 1118 

Johnson,  Frank  A 1086 

Johnston,  Milton  S 852 

Joliet  Wall  Paper  Mills,  Inc.,  The__1066 

Jones,  Ben.  D 1059 

Jones,  Frank  R 948 

Julian,  N.  N 860 

Jurres,  William 983 

Kahler,  C.  H 894 

Kaiser,  Oscar  C 1129 

Kane,  Joseph  L 1094 

Kearns,  J.  R 781 

Keig,    Alfred   Joseph 654 

Keig,  John  J 1004 

Kelly,   J.   V 794 


Vlll 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


Kellsner,   William 1071 

Kennedy,  Rev.  Philip  L 1043 

Keyes,  Nye  P 913 

Kieper,  Arthur  C 958 

King,  Harless  W 782 

Kingston,  Dr.  E.  A 928 

Klein,  Bernard,  M.  D 1019 

Klose,  John 742 

Klose,  John  Philip 741 

Kochevar,  Joseph 773 

Kodiak,    Stephen 976 

Koerner,  Henry  F 1102 

Kohl,    Joseph 824 

Kohlhagen,  Frank  J 946 

Korst,   Anthony  J 789 

Krapp,  Emil  P 1097 

Krohn,  Walter  G 600 

Kruger,    Chester   R 994 

Krause,  Julius  J 1094 

Krusemark,  Albert  H 766 

Lambert,  Avery  F 929 

Lankenau,  William 722 

La  Piana,  Francis,  M.  D 751 

Larson,  Paul  K 995 

Laraway,    Oscar    Robert 613 

Lauer,  Clarence  F 659 

Lauffer,  Nicholas 715 

Leach,  Arthur  C 650 

Leach,  Henry 652 

Leach,  Roy  B.,  M.  D 665 

Lennon,  Daniel  P 1090 

Leonard,  A.  G.  Jr 891 

Leppert,  John 1140 

Leppert,  William 815 

Le  Riche,  George  A 668 

Ley,  Joseph   A 683 

Limacher,   Frank  J 759 

Lindborg,  Andrew 703 

Longley,  James   L 674 

Luecke,  John 966 

Luehrs,   Walter  F 1032 

Luhring,  Henry  G 1103 

Luhring,  John  A 727 

Luther,  C.  J 884 

Lynch,   Daniel 661 

Lyons,  James 1084 

McCabe,  William  R 1120 

McClellan,  E.  R 935 


McCoy,  Robert  D 843 

McDougall,  A.  D 841 

McGowan,  John  E 910 

McGovney,  Ona  E 800 

McGovney,  Ozias  W 678 

Mclntyre,  Archibald  D 919 

Mclntyre,  James  W 885 

McLaren,    Lewis    L 1051 

McMahan,  Ernest  G.,  M.  D 808 

McRoberts,  William  A.,  M.  D 1121 

MacDonald,  William  H.,  Jr 881 

Macdonald,  Norman 838 

Mackin,  John 877 

Macpherson,    Rev.     Walter    H.,    L. 

H.    D 1123 

Mager,  Ben  W 719 

Mall,  Harry  F 707 

Manning,  Robert  G 1116 

Markgraf,  Albert  E 608 

Mason,  Charles  T 752 

Maue,  Edward  G 733 

Meader,  Louis 863 

Meradith,  Alfred  A 1028 

Merkel,  Henry,  M.  D 889 

Merrill,  James  H 853 

Merriman,  Edward 1001 

Meyer,  Henry  R 986 

Meyer,  William  F 839 

Miley,  Michael  R.,  M.  D 964 

Miller,  Carl  A 1013 

Miller,  Frank 867 

Mills,  Cassius  A 1120 

Mitchell,  John,  A.  B.,  M.  D 991 

Mokena  State  Bank,  The 701 

Molaschi,    Eugene 1117 

Moore  Brothers  Company,  Joliet 744 

Moore,  Edwin  M 864 

Moore,  Hinman  R 999 

Moore,   Lewis 746 

Moore,  Ralph  A 850 

Moriarty,  Herbert  H 750 

Morris,  George  Lee 677 

Morris,  Raymond 1122 

Morrison,  John  E 1002 

Muehlenpfordt,  Carl  H 920 

Muehler,   Martin  B 1042 

Muldowney,  Patrick 927 

Murphy,  Rev.  Charles 871 

Mussman,  W.  F 957 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


IX 


Neal,  Thomas  J 1027 

Nelson,  Arthur  H 907 

Nelson,  John  N 926 

New  Lenox  State  Bank 731 

Noble,  Charles  A 618 

Nowell,  Charles  S 779 

Nussmeyer,  F.  A 763 

O'Connell,  John 875 

Obsitnik,  George  L.,  Jr 628 

Oberheide,  Ferdinand,  Jr 1038 

Offerman,  Alois  A 657 

Ohman,  Paul 622 

Oliver,  William  H 643 

Olsen,  Wald 1049 

Oram,  Ernest  G 1105 

Orr,  Pence  Billings 672 

Ostermeyer,  William 966 

Overman,  Lee  B 928 

Owens,  J.  C,  M.  D 984 

Patterson,  A.  J 1006 

Patterson,  Harris  A.,  M.  D 818 

Patterson,  John  W 828 

Patterson,  William  Dodge 830 

Pearson,  Lewis 937 

Pennuto,  Frank  E 842 

Pennuto,  James 844 

Perona,    Battista 917 

Perry,  E.  J 835 

Pesavento,  David  A 882 

Petersen,  George  P 772 

Peterson,  Carl  H 846 

Pfoff,  M.  L 955 

Phelps,  Andrew  S 747 

Phelps,  Fred  W 746 

Phelps,  Herbert  R 823 

Piepenbrink,  August 1023 

Piepenbrink,  Henry  C 961 

Piepenbrink,  Henry  F 992 

Pilcher,  Carl  Alvin 811 

Plagge,  William 1073 

Plainfield  Grain  Company,  The 1024 

Plainfield  State  Bank,  The 930 

Pohl,  Henry  R 834 

Powers,  George  F 1054 

Pralle,  J.  H 1050 

Pratt,  Fred  S 646 

Reab,  Harvey  H 717 

Reed,  Walter  C 1107 


Rehn,  Hjalmar 607 

Rich,  Frank  D.,  M.  D 688 

Robinson,  Kinsey 1098 

Roberg,  F.  E.,  M.  D 660 

Robson,    Andrew 905 

Robson,  James  A 908 

Rodeghiero,  John 1009 

Rohe,  Charles  J 954 

Rohe,  Fred  B 1069 

Rollert,  Edward  A 1050 

Roschek,  George 998 

Rossi,  Felix  J 1081 

Rossi,   Henry  D 1081 

Rossi,  Peter,  Sr 1080 

Rowell,  Robert  S 687 

Ruggles,  Hamilton  L 791 

Russell,  Charles  Adams 776 

Scheibner,  George  F 878 

Schleeter,  Charles 1046 

Schluntz,  Henry  J 767 

Schmednecht,  Fred 891 

Schmidt,  Frank 1126 

Schmidt,  Fred 1127 

Schoene,  Paul  G. 642 

Schwartz,  Edward  A 809 

Schweer,  Arthur  F 1076 

Sehring,  Hon.  George  F 704 

Shaunessy,  Thomas 1010 

Shaw,  Fred  J 1031 

Sholtes,  Nicholas 1100 

Shreeve,  Jane  A.  (Richards) 656 

Shreffler,  Arthur  Lee,  M.  D 625 

Shutts,  Peter 831 

Skeel,  John  F 855 

Sloan,  Frank 1114 

Smith,  James  A. 911 

Smith,  Lewis  Wilbur 1041 

Smith,  William  W 624 

Smith,   Wilson  F 952 

Sonneborn,   George 973 

Spangler,  Elry 812 

Spangler,  Henry  M 1005 

Spencer,  Herbert  W 1018 

Sprague,  Charles  Norman 768 

Sprague,  George  C 868 

Sprague,   Thomas   Killmer 769 

Spurr,  Don  A 906 

Stade,  Harry  L 969 

Stanton,  Frank  W.,  M.  D 821 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


Stauffenberg,  Edward  A 989 

Steen,  William  H 916 

Steevens,  D.  J 958 

Steiner,   Fred   W 1000 

Stelling,   William   H 953 

Stellwagen,  Henry 714 

Stephen,  John 832 

Stephen,  Raymond  A. 833 

Stephen,  Robert  E 732 

Stephens,  L.  C 849 

Stone,  M.  F 866 

Storm,  Harry  W 1104 

Strohm,  William  C 615 

Struzynski,  L.  M.,  M.  D 836 

Sullivan,  Dr.  C.  0 975 

Taylor,  Henry 897 

Tesdall,  Oliver  H 1047 

Testin,  Thomas  Joseph 783 

Tezak,  John  A 1045 

Themer,  William  J 1060 

Thompson,  James  M 960 

Tilsy,   Lewis 747 

Touzalin,  Leslie  A 793 

Tower,  George  H 818 

Treharne,  Josiah 1130 

Tryner,  Joseph 1108 

Turner,   J.   W 982 

Uhde,  John  F 816 

Van  Dyke,  Earl  H 932 

Van  Horn,  Merton  G 934 

Van  Pelt,  Rev.  Henry  George 635 

Voight,  Reed 1119 

Voitik,  Walter 847 

Volz,  William  P 869 

Walker,  John  Daniel 912 

Wallace,  Ray  Beach 798 

Walsh,  Fred  J 603 

Walter,  Fred  W 996 

Walter,   Michael 997 

Ward,  Arthur  J._ 892 

Ward,  W.  G 1136 

Warning,  Christ  H 724 

Warning,  Fred 1057 


Watson,  Andrew  G 1070 

Watson,  Royal  L.,  M.  D 1061 

Way,  H.  L .__  862 

Webb,  Michael 858 

Weber,  Alphons  J 941 

Weber,  Henry  J 1021 

Weese,  Julius  G 802 

Wehmhoefer,  Henry 972 

Wehrley,  John  H 951 

Weinberger,  Harry  D 1136 

Weishaar,  Frank  I 630 

Weitzel,  Harry  S.,  M.  D 799 

Welch,  William  S 764 

Welsch,  Walter  W 790 

Werner,  John  C 1134 

West,  Archie  L 945 

Wheeler,  Frank  W 640 

White,  Adam  G 1110 

Wietting,  Fred  C 1068 

Wilhelmi,  Simon  P.,  D.  D.  S 764 

Wilke,  F.  Herman 967 

Will  County  National  Bank,  The 605 

Willard,  Francis  D 803 

Williams,  Stephen  J.,  Jr 1131 

Wilson,  Charles  E 604 

Wilson,  Howard  E 762 

Wilson,  Leonard  G 896 

Winkler,  Edward  T z. 883 

Witwer,  Andrew  S 609 

Wolf,  John  M 820 

Woodruff   Family 596 

Woodruff,  Harry  Wheeler,  M.  D 611 

Wollett,   Carl   G 801 

Worst,  Fred  W 1003 

Wraith,  Robert  H 1132 

Wylie,  S.  L 925 

Yost,   Henry  J 861 

Yost,  Philip 861 

Young,  George  W 938 

Young,  Rugar 614 

Yung,  Herman  P 978 

Zechliii,  Bernhard  A 1014 

Zerbes,  Joseph  A 664 

Zidek,  Frank  J 787 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Aboriginies   80 

Allouez,  Father 153 

Ancient  Fires  and  Lights 519 

Animal   Life 67 

Animals,  Native 106 

Arrow  Maker 104 

Bar,  Members  of,  The 448 

Bee  Hunters,  The 496 

Beecher    362 

Bird  and  Animal  Life 145 

Birds  Bridge 355 

Braidwood 345 

Building,    Joliet 270 

Burial   Customs 86 

Bus   Lines ■-  418 

Canal,  The 413 

Channahon  Township 171 

Characteristics,  Indian 99 

Chicago   in   1833 135 

Churches   451 

Civil  War  Days 326 

Coal  Discovered 69 

Coal  Mining 346 

Corn,  Genesis  of 101 

Crete  Township 178 

Crete,  Village  of 181 

Custer  Township 188 

Custer  Village 188 

Des  Plaines  Valley 70 

Dixie  Highway 180 

Drainage  Channel,  Chicago 74 

Du  Page  Postoffice 195 

Du  Page  Township 189 

Dwelling,    A 493 

Eagle  Lake 363 

"Early  Will   County  Days" 234 

Elwood 249 

Explorers 150 


Fever  and  Ague 490 

First  White  Child,  Another 504 

Florence  Township 198 

Fort  Dearborn 160 

Fort  Nonsense 266 

Fossils    67 

Frankfort  Township 205 

Frankfort,   Village   of_I 212 

Fur  Trading  Posts 156 

Geological  Formation 65 

Glacier   Period 77 

Green  Garden  Township 216 

Grintonville    355 

Goodenow  Village 182 

Hadley  Postoffice 229 

Herald-News,  Joliet 486 

"Hiawatha" 93 

Hickory  Creek   Settlement 166 

Highways    420 

Homer  Township 223 

Hospitals 1_  477 

Huts,   Indian 106 

Illinois  Admitted  to  Union 160 

Indian  Chiefs 96 

Indian  Customs,  Changes  in 111 

Indian  Mound,  The  Latest 516 

Indian  Nature 113 

Indians,  The 93 

Indian  Troubles 126 

Indian  Tribes 97 

Jackson  Township 239 

Joliet    253 

Joliet  Mound 266 

Joliet  Township 253 

Kilpatricks   Currency 521 

Lawyers 445 

Lincoln    Fields 179 


XI 


Xll 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


Lincoln  in  Will  County 502 

Lockport    291 

Lockport  Township 282 

Lockport  Township  High  School 295 

Manhattan 300 

Manhattan  Township 296 

Marquette  and  Joliet 150 

Millsdale   176 

Mokena    211 

Monee 305 

Monee  Township 301 

Mound  Builders 83 

Mounds,  Will  County 85 

New  Lenox  Township 308 

New  Lenox,  Village  of 315 

Newspapers    483 

Nicolet,   Jean 150 

Old  Fort 498 

Penitentiary,   Illinois   State 273 

Peotone,  City  of 321 

Peotone   Township 317 

Pioneer  Days 183 

"Pioneer  Days  in  Will  County" 494 

Plainfield   Township 329 

Plank  Roads 423 

Plant  Life 67 

Prairies,  Description  of  the 142 

Prairies  and  Forests 141 

Press,  The 483 

Railroads 431 

Red  Men,  Tribes  of 81 

Reed   Township 342 

Revolutionary  War  Period 156 


Ritchey    368 

Romeo    196 

Sac  War,  Our 523 

Saint  Francis,  Sisters  of 467 

St.  Lawrence-Mississippi  Divide 72 

Schools,  Joliet 272 

Settlements,  First 160 

Settlers,  Early 141 

Settlers,  Pioneer 168 

Shaubena,  Chief 123 

Snowstorm — 1854-55 523 

Spencer,  Village  of 315 

Stage  Routes 417 

Stock  Running  at  Large 522 

"Tour  of  the  Prairies" 142 

Trails,  Indian 98 

Transportation 412 

Treaties,  Indian 128 

Treaties  of  Prairie  Du  Chien 130 

Treaties  of  St.  Louis 129 

Trial,  An  Indian 123 

Troy  Township 352 

Underground  Railroad 512 

Walker,  Rev.  Jesse 121 

Wampum 105 

Washington  Township_l 357 

Waterway  Development 427 

Waterway,  The  Deep 426 

Wesley   Township 365 

Wheatland  Township 369 

Wheatland  Plowing  Match 372 

Will  Township— 395 

Wilmington,  City  of 408 

Wilmington  Township 399 

Wilton  Township 405 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Adams,  Frederick  Ray 616 

Beecher,  Street  Scene 360 

Bennitt,  Col.  Fred 1048 

Berger,  Charles  W. 888 

Berscheid,  John  W. 904 

Bittermann,  Ferdinand  J. 760 

Boughton,  Mrs.  Emma  J.  B 1008 

Boughton,  William  D 1008 

Braidwood,  East  School 344 

Braidwood,  Main  Street 344 

Brannon,  Loudus 840 

Catholic  School,  Lockport 288 

Chalstrom,  J.  E 1064 

Chamber  of  Commerce 128 

Chamberlin,  George  N. 712 

Chicago  Street,  Joliet 96 

Clare,  William  H. 593 

Control  Works 272 

Court  House,  Will  County 65 

Crabb,  James  M.,  Sr 936 

Delander,  A.  F. 680 

Dixie  Highway,  Crete 192 


Erickson,  Gustaf  B. 


696 


Fahey,  F.  Matthew 744 

Ferguson,  J.  Lee 848 

Fletcher,  William  R. 632 

Fritz,  Fred  H. 880 

Gilkerson  and  Family,  Herbert  N 1056 

Goodspeed,  Edith  I. 728 

Handorf  and  Family,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

John  M. 1016 

Hasenjaeger,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  L._  872 
Haley,  Patrick  C. 720 

Harris,  Eugene  Nelson 784 

Hennessy,  P.  J. 736 


Herkert,  Leo  M. 968 

Hicks,  Henry  Francis 944 

High  School,  Joliet  Township 160 

High  School,  Lockport 360 

Hill,  George  R. 648 

Hulbert,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clinton  Ray__1040 


Ivec,   Martin  J. 


792 


Jeffrey,  Archibald  C 1072 

Jenco,  John  M.   856 

Kingston,  Dr.  E.  A. 928 

Kodiak,  Stephen 976 

Kohl,  Joseph 824 

Krohn,  Walter  G. 600 

Lockport  Township  High  School 296 

Luehrs,  Walter  F. 1032 

McGovney,  Ona  E. 800 

McMahan,  Ernest  G. 808 

Markgraf,  Albert  E. 608 

Mason,  Charles  T. 752 

Maue,  August Frontispiece 

Mokena,  Main  Street 208 

Moore,  Edwin  M. 864 

Muehlenpfordt,  Carl  H. 920 

Old  Canal,  Wilmington 400 

Orr,  Pence  B. 672 

Owens,  J.  C. 984 

Owens,  Mrs.  Mary  H. 984 

Park,  The,  Crete 192 

Penitentiary,  Cell  House 272 

Peotone  High  School 320 

Peotone,  Street  Scene 320 

Piepenbrink,  Henry  F. 992 

Plainfield  Grain  Company 1024 

Plainfield  School 208 

Post  Office,  Joliet 96 

Public  Library,  Joliet 128 


Xlll 


XIV 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Rich,  Frank  D. 688 

Rossi,  Peter,  Sr. 1080 

Russell,  Charles  Adams 776 

School,  Washington  St.,  Joliet 256 

Sehring,  Hon.  George  F. 704 

Shreeve,  Jane  A. 656 

Smith,  Mrs.  Jemima  H. 952 

Smith,  Wilson  F.   952 

Smith,  William  W. 624 

Soldiers'  Widows'  Home,  Wilmington  400 

Sprague,  Charles  Norman 768 

St.  Francis  Academy,  Joliet 256 

State  Street,  Lockport 288 


Steiner,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  W.  and 

Son,  Grundy 1000 

Stephen,  John 832 

Thompson,  James  M. 960 

Uhde,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  F 816 

Union  Station,  Joliet 160 

Walker,  John  D. 912 

Wheeler,  Frank  W. 640 

Wilson,  Leonard  G. 896 

Zerbes,  Joseph  A. 664 


History  of  Will  County 


CHAPTER  I. 


PREPARING  A  DWELLING  PLACE. 


PRODUCTIVE  PLACE — FORMATION — CHANGES— GEOLOGICAL  AGES— SOIL— 
PLANT  LIFE— ANIMALS— MINERAL  WEALTH— COAL  DEPOSITS— DISCOV- 
ERED  IN   ILLINOIS— DEVELOPMENT   OF    INDUSTRY 65-69 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  DES  PLAINES  VALLEY. 


ITS  FORMATION— GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY— LOCATION— AREA— TOPOGRAPHY- 
DIVIDE  BETWEEN  LAKES  AND  THE  MISSISSIPPI— THE  DES  PLAINES  AND 
DU  PAGE  RIVERS— CHICAGO  DRAINAGE  CANAL— VISION  OF  MARQUETTE 
AND  LA  SALLE— A  PART  OF  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE  RIVER  BASIN— A 
PROPHESY     70-76 

XV 
2—VOL.  1 


xvi  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  III. 


THE   GLACIER   PERIOD. 


CHANGES  THROUGH  AGES— MAGNITUDE  OF  ICE  SHEETS— MOVED  SOIL  AND 
ROCKS  OYER  WILL,  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS— EVIDENCES  OF  GLACIERS  IN 
ILLINOIS— IN  THE  DES  PLAINES  VALLEY— RECEDED  NORTHWARD___77-79 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  ABORIGINES. 


TRACES  OF  MAN'S  EXISTENCE  IN  EARLY  AGES— THE  RED  MAN— MIXTURE  OF 
RACES— DES  PLAINES  VALLEY  THE  GREAT  HIGHWAY  OF  DIFFERENT 
TRIBES— THE  MOUND  BUILDERS— EXCAVATIONS  IN  WILL  COUNTY— EVI- 
DENCES   DISCLOSED—LEVELS 80-92 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  INDIANS. 


'HIAWATHA*'— TRADITIONS— BLENDING  OF  TRIBES— CHIEFS— HABITS  AND  CUS- 
TOMS—FISHING AND  HUNTING — GRAINS— CULTIVATION  OF  THE  SOIL- 
DOMESTIC  ARTICLES— THE  BOW  AND  ARROW— OTHER  IMPLEMENTS- 
ARROW  MAKER— WAMPUM— POTTERY — TRIBES— TRAILS — CHARACTERIS- 
TICS— RELIGION— WARS   AND   INDIAN   TROUBLE 93-127 


CONTENTS  xvii 

CHAPTER  VI. 


INDIAN  TREATIES  AFFECTING  LANDS  IN  THE 
PRESENT  WILL  COUNTY. 


PURPOSE  OP  THESE  TREATIES— RIGHTS  OP  THE  INDIAN— KINDS  OF  TREATIES 
—PURCHASE  OF  LANDS— IMPORTANT  TREATIES— AS  AFFECTING  DIFFER- 
ENT TRIBES — TREATIES  AT  PRAIRIE  DU  CHIEN— THE  VILLAGE  OF  CHI- 
CAGO IN  1833— "FIRE   WATER" — TREATY  BENEFICIARIES 128-140 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  PRAIRIES  AND  FORESTS. 


SETTLERS  FROM  THE  EAST  AND  EUROPE  FASCINATED  BY  THE  PRAIRIES— 
FERDIN  AND  ERNST  WRITE  OF  THE  PRAIRIES — WASHINGTON  IRVING'S 
"TOUR  OF  THE  PRAIRIES"— MRS.  STEELE — VEGETATION— ANIMAL  AND 
BIRD  LIFE — THE  BUFFALO— THE  TRADE  IN  BUFFALO  ROBES — DEER- 
RATTLESNAKES— WILD     EGGS 141-149 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  FRENCH  AND  THE  SPANISH  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


EARLY  EXPLORERS— MARQUETTE  AND  JOLIET— JEAN  NICOLET— FATHER 
ALLONEZ'S  WORK  AMONG  THE  INDIANS— FRENCH  OCCUPATION-hFUR 
TRADING  POSTS  ESTABLISHED— REVOLUTIONARY  WAR  PERIOD— SPANISH 
OCCUPATION  OF  WILL  COUNTY 150-159 


xviii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IX. 


FIRST  SETTLEMENTS  IN  WILL  COUNTY 


ILLINOIS  ADMITTED  TO  THE  UNION— MISSIONARIES— FATHER  WALKER— INDIAN 
EXPERIENCES— EARLY  SETTLEMENTS— THE  SCOTT  FAMILY— OTHER 
PIONEER     SETTLERS 160-170 


CHAPTER  X. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

CHANNAHON  TOWNSHIP— CRETE  TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE  OF  CRETE— PIONEER 
DAYS  IN  EASTERN  WILL  COUNTY— CUSTER  TOWNSHIP— DU  PAGE  TOWN- 
SHIP— ROMEO— FLORENCE  TOWNSHIP— FRANKFORT  TOWNSHIP— MOKENA 
— FRANKFORT— GREEN  GARDEN  TOWNSHIP— HOMER  TOWNSHIP— EARLY 
WILL  COUNTY  DAYS— JACKSON   TOWNSHIP— ELWOOD 171-252 


CHAPTER  XI. 


JOLIET  TOWNSHIP. 


DES  PLAINES  VALLEY— EARLY  SETTLERS — FIRST  WHITE  MAN— PIONEER  GRIST 
MILL— PRICE  OF  LAND— FIRST  OFFICERS— MERCHANTS — GRAIN  TRADE — 
STONE  QUARRYING — EARLY  BUSINESS  MEN — JOLIET  MOUND— BUILDING — 
SCHOOLS— PENITENTIARY    253-281 


CONTENTS  xix 

CHAPTER  XII. 


TOWNSHIPS,  CONTINUED. 


LOCKPORT  TOWNSHIP— LOCKPORT— LOCKPORT  TOWNSHIP  HIGH  SCHOOLr— MAN- 
HATTAN TOWNSHIP— MANHATTAN — MONEE  TOWNSHIP — MONEE — NEW 
LENOX  TOWNSHIP— VILLAGE  OF  NEW  LENOX — PEOTONE  TOWNSHIP — PE- 
OTONE — PLAINFIELD  TOWNSHIP— PLAINFIELD— REED  TOWNSHIP— CITY 
OF    BRAIDWOOD— TROY    TOWNSHIP 282-356 


CHAPTER  XIII 


TOWNSHIPS  CONTINUED. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP— BEECHER— EAGLE  LAKE— WESLEY  TOWNSHIP— 
WHEATLAND  TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND  PLOWING  MATCH— WILL  TOWN- 
SHIP—WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP— CITY  OF  WILMINGTON—WILTON  TOWN- 
SHIP—WALLINGFORD— WILTON     CENTER 357-411 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


TRANSPORTATION  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


INDIAN  CANOE— TRAILS— WAGON  ROADS — CANAL— STAGE  ROUTES— BUS  LINES- 
HIGHWAYS  —  PLANK  ROADS  —  WATERWAY  DEVELOPMENT  —  RAIL- 
ROADS       412-444 


xx  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  BAR  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


PREVIOUS     TO     1884 — EARLY     DAY     LAWYERS— JUDGES— MEMBERS     OF      WILL 
COUNTY    BAR 445-450 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  CHURCHES. 


EARLY  MISSIONS— PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  ORGANIZED — FIRST  CONGREGA- 
TIONAL CHURCH  ORGANIZED— ST.  PATRICK'S  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  BUILT— 
FATHER  PLUNKETT— CHRIST'S  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH— METHODISTS— UNI- 
VERSALIST— GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN— GERMAN  LUTHERAN- 
SWEDISH  LUTHERAN— BAPTISTS— SISTERS  OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER  OF  ST. 
FRANCIS      451-476 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


HOSPITALS. 


SILVER  CROSS  HOSPITAL,  INCORPORATED  IN  1891,  "WATCHER'S  CIRCLE,"  COR- 
NER STONE  LAID  IN  1893,  TRUSTEES,  FIRST  OFFICERS,  FIRST  PATIENT— 
ST.  JOSEPHS  HOSPITAL,  FOUNDED  IN  1881,  TYPHOID  AND  SMALLPOX  EPI- 
DEMICS, THE  FIRST  BUILDING  USED  FOR  HOSPITAL,  FIRST  ACCIDENT 
CASE,    NEW    BUILDINGS 477-482 


CONTENTS  xxi 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  PRESS. 


THE  FIRST  NEWSPAPER  IN  JOLIET— THE  JOLIET  REPUBLICAN— TRUE  DEMO- 
CRAT—RECORD—PHOENIX SUN— OTHER  EARLY  NEWSPAPERS  AND  NEWS- 
PAPER   MEN — POLIET     HERALD-NEWS 483-489 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


EVERY-DAY  LIFE  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


FEVER  AND  AGUE— A  DWELLING— PIONEER  DAYS  IN  WILL  COUNTY— THE  BEE 
HUNTERS— OLD  FORT— LINCOLN  IN  WILL  COUNTY— ANOTHER  FIRST 
WHITE  CHILD— UNDERGROUND  RAILROAD— THE  LATEST  INDIAN  MOUND 
— "ANCIENT  FIRES  AND  LIGHTS  OF  WILL  COUNTY"— KILPATRIGK'S  CUR- 
RENCY—STOCK RUNNING  AT  LARGE— SNOWSTORM— OUR  SAC  WAR.490-526 


History  of  Will  County 


CHAPTER  I. 


PREPARING  A  DWELLING  PLACE. 


A  PRODUCTIVE  PLACE— FORMATION— CHANGES— GEOLOGICAL  AGES— SOIL- 
PLANT  LIFE— ANIMALS— MINERAL  WEALTH— COAL  DEPOSITS— DISCOV- 
ERED IN  ILLINOIS— DEVELOPMENT  OF  INDUSTRY 

For  a  hundred  million  years  God  wrought  that  man  might 
live.  The  wonderful  Illinois  Basin,  of  which  Will  County  is  a 
part,  lies  in  the  center  of  the  most  productive  area  in  the  world. 
Nowhere  else  will  be  found  such  a  vast  area  rich  in  minerals, 
with  the  variety  of  climate,  and  the  variations  in  soil  which 
make  it  possible  to  produce  all  that  man  needs. 

Man,  with  a  finite  mind,  may  hesitate  to  attempt  to  set 
forth  the  history  of  this  wonderful  region.  The  forces  of  na- 
ture are  slow  but  sure.  Nothing  is  hastened  at  the  expense 
of  thoroughness.  The  end  always  justifies  the  means  as  well 
as  the  time  used  in  Her  work. 

Between  the  Alleghany  Mountains  on  the  east  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains  on  the  west,  stretched  a  great  inland  sea.  The 
waters  extended  from  what  is  now  Hudson  Bay  on  the  north- 
ern extremity  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  southern  end.  Man 
reads  the  records  in  the  rocks  which  were  formed  at  the  bottom 
of  this  sea. 

65 

5__V0L.  1 


66  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Through  eons  of  ages  the  sun  lifted  the  water  to  clouds 
which  were  borne  by  the  winds  to  the  lands  on  the  east  and 
west.  Over  the  lands  the  water  was  precipitated  as  rain.  The 
floods  returned  again  to  the  sea  to  repeat  the  operations.  As 
they  flowed  downward  they  carried  in  solution  or  in  suspended 
particles,  the  dregs  from  which  rocks  were  formed.  The  waves 
sorted  this  material  in  layers  of  sand,  or  clay,  or  broken  shells. 
In  time  these  deposits  molded  until  cementation  and  pressure 
changed  sand  into  sandstone,  clay  into  shale  and  the  shells 
into  limestone. 

Gradually  the  bottom  of  this  sea  was  elevated  until  the  re- 
ceding waters  showed  the  surface  as  a  rough  and  broken  land, 
mostly  bare  rock  with  fragments  here  and  there  where  the 
edges  clashed  under  the  mighty  forces  of  gravity  and  contrac- 
tion. Deformation  and  unequal  erosion  began  as  soon  as  the 
surface  had  lost  its  moisture.  Wind  and  weather  transformed 
the  surface.  The  flood  of  waters  from  the  torrential  rains 
carried  the  detritus  to  the  sea. 

Once  more  this  region  was  depressed  to  form  a  long  medi- 
terranean sea  with  irregular  coast  lines  both  east  and  west. 
The  mighty  streams  brought  the  burdens  of  rock-waste  to  the 
sea  where  they  were  sorted  and  molded  as  before. 

Again  and  again  these  mighty  changes  took  place,  extend- 
ing through  millions  and  millions  of  years.  At  one  time  the 
waves  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  as  we  know  it  now,  washed  the 
place  where  Cairo  now  stands.  At  other  times  vast  arms  of 
the  sea  extended  inland  along  irregular  lines  on  the  eastern 
shore  as  well  as  upon  the  western. 

The  changes  were  wrought  in  ages  of  time.  Each  was  so 
long  that  human  intelligence  cannot  comprehend  it.  The  rec- 
ords have  been  left  in  the  rocks  which  are  found  here  and 
there  in  widely  separated  areas;  by  remains  which  formed 
molds  of  plants  and  animals  thus  leaving  fossils;  by  drillings 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  67 

which  are  brought  to  the  surface  when  wells  are  sunk  for 
water,  oil,  or  gas. 

Fossils  preserve  the  forms  of  animals  and  plants  which 
lived  in  the  past.  From  them,  the  geologist  is  able  to  make 
up  the  history  of  life.  He  constructs  pictures  for  us  of  ani- 
mals and  plants  that  lived  from  time  to  time.  Great  skill  has 
been  acquired  in  reading  these  records.  The  structure  of  the 
teeth  indicates  whether  the  animal  was  a  flesh  eater  or  a  vege- 
tarian. A  single  bone  may  indicate  the  size  and  structure  of 
the  animal  which  roamed  these  regions  in  geological  times. 
Time  and  again  one  kind  of  animal  disappeared  to  be  succeeded 
by  others  which  were  suited  to  the  climate  and  vegetable 
growth  about  them.  Most  surely  God  moves  in  mysterious 
ways  His  wonders  to  perform. 

In  the  ages  which  have  been  outlined  in  the  preceding  para- 
graph, in  the  processes  which  took  place  in  successive  stages 
of  world  forming,  wrinkles  were  formed.  Irregular  rock  for- 
mations jutted  forth  in  many  places.  Finally  the  sea  subsided 
for  the  last  time  and  left  a  rolling  upland  with  residual  soil 
deposited  in  irregular  layers  over  the  surface. 

The  weathering  of  the  surface  proceeded  more  rapidly  than 
it  does  now  because  inclement  climate  prevailed.  Soil  was 
moved  about  by  wind  and  water  into  positions  suited  to  the 
growth  of  plants.  The  development  of  plant  life  made  animal 
life  possible. 

Plant  life  appeared  with  varied  forms.  Forests  grew  with 
trees  sheltering  weaker  plants.  The  region  assumed  form  and 
appearance  similar  to  that  which  you  have  seen  in  your  travels, 
or  pictured  in  your  texts. 

Strange  animals  roamed  the  forests  while  others  galloped 
over  the  open  spaces.  Reptiles  swam  the  streams,  grotesque 
in  form  and  slow  in  movement.  Birds  found  homes  in  the  trees 
and  insects  buzzed  in  the  air.    Onlv  man  was  missing  from 


68  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  tumult  on  land  and  the  commotion  in  the  air.  God  knows 
best.  Mankind  would  have  been  lost  in  the  struggle.  The  earth 
was  in  the  making,  providing  the  soil  with  rich  stores  beneath 
and  suitable  plant  growth  and  animal  life  above,  to  await  his 
coming  in  the  fulness  of  time. 

Consider  the  events  so  remote  that  we  can  scarcely  compre- 
hend the  time.  How  wonderfully  they  affect  our  well-being. 
What  blessing  they  bring  to  us  in  many,  many  ways.  Surely 
the  all-wise  Creator  prepared  our  dwelling  with  infinite  care 
and  foresight. 

The  preceding  pages  gave  the  reader  a  brief  outline  of  the 
rock  formation  when  the  sea  was  the  ruling  force.  In  those 
periods  of  formation  the  great  mineral  wealth  of  Illinois  was 
created.  One  of  the  greatest  of  these  is  coal.  While  the  plants 
and  animals  of  the  sea  were  building  rocks  the  plants  upon 
land  were  making  preparation  for  coal.  God  provided  abun- 
dance of  sunlight  and  moisture. 

The  leaves  of  the  trees  gathered  the  carbon  from  the  air 
and  converted  it  into  coal.  This  was  deposited  in  layers  and 
sealed  over  with  shale  rock  and  soil  where  it  is  preserved 
through  the  ages  until  man  brings  it  to  the  surface. 

Forests  included  huge  ferns  fifty  to  sixty  feet  high,  min- 
gled with  soft  wood,  evergreens,  rapid-growing  trees  which 
became  tall  and  slender,  commingled  with  smaller  plants  un- 
derneath. All  were  of  rank  growth  in  a  moist,  hot  climate. 
These  forests  matured,  died,  and  changed  through  chemical 
action  into  peat  bogs  which  were  compressed  later  and  con- 
verted to  coal. 

In  the  territory  now  comprised  in  the  State  of  Illinois  this 
process  of  growth,  decay,  and  submerging  to  store  coal,  oc- 
curred at  least  six  times.  Many  sections  contain  six  veins  of 
coal  in  successive  order  from  thirty-feet  below  the  surface  to 
many  hundreds. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  69 

Coal  was  first  discovered  in  Illinois  in  1679,  near  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Ottawa.  Outcroppings  of  "black  rock"  were  found 
by  Father  Hennepin,  one  of  the  missionaries  and  explorers 
who  came  out  from  France.  He  knew  that  it  would  burn  but 
the  abundance  of  wood  made  coal  unimportant.  The  first  rec- 
ord tells  us  that  in  1810,  it  was  mined  in  Jackson  County  along 
the  bluffs  of  the  Big  Muddy  River.  In  that  year  a  flat-boat 
was  loaded  and  sent  to  New  Orleans,  thus  early  showing  the 
desirability  of  a  deep  waterway.  In  1832,  several  boat-loads 
were  taken  out  and  shipped.  In  1833,  6,000  tons  were  mined 
in  St.  Clair  County  and  transported  in  wagons  to  St.  Louis. 

Here  and  there  these  stores  of  coal  were  used  in  a  small 
way  until  the  development  of  industry  made  the  demand  for 
large  quantities.  Chicago,  Joliet,  and  other  industrial  centers 
about  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  used  large  quantities.  This 
brought  the  mining  industry  into  Will  County  and  Braidwood 
became  the  leading  mining  town  in  Illinois. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  DES  PLAINES  VALLEY. 


ITS  FORMATION — GEOLOGICAL,  SURVEY — LOCATION — AREA— TOPOGRAPHY- 
DIVIDE  BETWEEN  LAKES  AND  THE  MISSISSIPPI— THE  DES  PLAINES  AND 
DU  PAGE  RIVERS — CHICAGO  DRAINAGE  CANAL — VISION  OF  MARQUETTE 
AND  LA  SALLE — A  PART  OF  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE  RIVER  BASIN— A 
PROPHESY 

The  valley  of  the  Des  Plaines  River  possesses  a  peculiar 
interest  in  the  history  of  Will  County,  as  it  does  in  the  history 
of  Illinois  and  of  the  United  States.  In  the  account  of  the 
glacial  formation  of  our  state  it  was  the  channel  through  which 
the  impounded  waters  escaped  to  the  Mississippi  River.  Man 
has  restored  this  connection  by  building  the  Chicago  Drainage 
Canal  through  which  the  waters  flow  once  more  to  the  Father 
of  Waters.  Its  physical  features  brought  about  the  early  dis- 
covery and  exploration,  and  shaped  its  present  industrial  ad- 
vantages and  the  future  development.  The  deep  waterway 
project  and  the  constructions  now  under  way  in  the  outskirts 
of  Joliet  evidence  these  things. 

The  following  account  of  the  valley  and  the  river  is  taken 
from  Bulletin  Number  11  of  the  Illinois  State  Geological  Sur- 
vey: "The  long  basin  of  the  Des  Plaines  River  lies  only  a  few 
miles  west  of  Lake  Michigan,  in  the  northeast  corner  of  Illinois. 
From  northern  Kenosha  County  in  Wisconsin  southward 
through  Lake,  Cook,  Du  Page,  and  Will  counties  in  Illinois, 
the  basin  has  a  length  of  ninety  miles.  Its  width,  however,  is 
never  over  twenty-five  miles  and  for  a  large  part  of  the  dis- 
tance is  less  than  fifteen.    Its  area  is  about  1,400  square  miles. 

70 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  71 

The  northern  portion  of  this  basin  is  narrow,  and  is  drained 
almost  wholly  by  the  trunk  river  and  a  single  tributary,  Salt 
Creek.  Its  area  (above  Summit)  is  about  634  square  miles. 
The  southern  portion  is  wider  and  more  complex,  for  it  in- 
cludes the  north-south  basin  of  the  Du  Page  River,  the  largest 
tributary  of  the  Des  Plaines,  and  several  rather  long  creeks 
from  the  east.  A  few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Du  Page, 
the  Des  Plaines  unites  with  the  Kankakee  to  form  the  Illinois 
River. 

The  elongated  form  of  the  Des  Plaines  basin  is  largely,  if 
not  wholly  dependent  on  the  deposition  of  glacial  drift.  At 
the  close  of  the  glacial  period,  when  the  district  finally  emerged 
from  the  waning  ice  sheet,  the  bed  rock  had  benn  concealed 
by  an  irregular  blanket  of  loose  earth  material  or  "drift,"  de- 
posited in  part  by  the  glacier  itself  and  in  part  by  the  waters 
that  came  from  it.  Conspicuous  among  the  newly  built  surface 
features  was  a  broad  U-shaped  belt  of  rolling  ground,  stand- 
ing a  little  above  its  surroundings,  and  encircling  the  south 
end  of  Lake  Michigan  through  Illinois,  Indiana  and  Michigan. 
This  belt  is  known  as  the  Valparaiso  moraine.  This  great 
moraine  is  crossed  obliquely  by  the  Des  Plaines  River  between 
Summit  and  Joliet,  and  from  its  slope  comes  a  large  part  of 
the  water  discharged  by  the  river.  The  Valparaiso  morainic 
belt  is,  in  fact,  a  system  of  parallel  ridges;  first,  a  central  ridge 
which  makes  up  the  main  body  of  the  moraine;  second,  an 
outer  ridge,  lower  or  narrower,  which  divides  the  Du  Page 
basin  from  the  Des  Plaines  proper,  north  of  Joliet,  and  which 
for  several  miles  south  of  Joliet  is  separated  from  the  main 
moraine  by  a  crescent  shaped  plain;  and  third,  an  inner  ridge, 
lying  east  of  the  central  belt,  and  separated  from  it  by  the 
basin  of  Salt  Creek. 

The  Des  Plaines  issues  from  a  flat  swamp,  or  slough,  near 
the  boundary  of  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties,  Wisconsin, 
where  drainage  is  so  imperfect  that  in  wet  weather  part  of 


72  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  marsh  discharges  northward  to  Root  River  a  part  south- 
ward to  the  Des  Plaines.  From  this  ill-defined  divide  the  little 
stream  runs  south  along  the  depression  which  separates  the  two 
westernmost  of  the  lake-border  till  ridges,  gathering  drainage 
from  other  creeks  among  the  morainic  hollows,  turning  to  run 
eastward  for  a  few  miles  in  Kenosha  County,  then  resuming 
a  southerly  course  and  entering  Illinois  between  the  two  till 
ridges  which  at  that  point  compose  the  whole  lake-border 
system.  West  of  Waukegan  the  river  passes  through  the  west 
ridge;  and  thence  southward  past  Liberty ville,  Wheeling, 
Franklin  Park  and  Maywood,  it  follows  the  broad  inter-mo- 
rainic  basin  immediately  east  of  the  Valparaiso  moraine.  En- 
tering the  Chicago  plain  by  way  of  this  broad  pass,  which  is 
in  itself  an  arm  of  the  lake  plain  nearly  shut  off  by  a  long  sand 
spit  at  Oak  Park,  the  river  winds  around  a  beach  ridge  at 
Riverside  swinging  again  eastward  around  a  rock  elevation 
at  Lyons. 

In  the  distance  of  sixty  miles  from  the  head  of  the  Des 
Plaines  to  the  Riverside  dam  the  river  falls  ninety  feet,  or  at 
an  average  rate  of  l1/^  feet  per  mile.  From  Riverside  down- 
stream for  three  miles,  the  Des  Plaines  descends  fourteen  feet 
on  the  exposed  ledges,  or  about  five  feet  per  mile,  to  the  Ogden 
dam.  At  this  point  it  lies  within  ten  miles  of  Lake  Michigan, 
and  is  less  than  twelve  feet  above  it. 

Here,  then,  near  Summit,  is  the  divide  between  the  lakes 
and  the  Gulf,  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Mississippi.  In  time 
of  flood  a  large  portion  of  the  Des  Plaines  discharges  over  the 
dam  and  through  a  ditch  to  the  Chicago  River  and  the  lake, 
while  the  remainder  follows  the  lower  Des  Plaines  down  to 
the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers.  This  double  discharge  was 
operative  under  natural  conditions  before  the  Ogden  dam  was 
built.  The  natural  divide  was  five  miles  farther  east,  near 
Kedzie  Avenue,  at  the  east  end  of  a  great  swampy  tract,  known 
as  Mud  Lake.    So  flat  is  the  plain  at  this  point  that  the  escape 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  73 

of  the  Des  Plaines  from  the  lake  plain  westward  through  the 
deep  notch  in  the  moraine  seems  highly  accidental. 

From  Summit  it  makes  for  the  head  of  the  abandoned  chan- 
nel of  the  "Chicago  outlet"  where  the  waters  of  Lake  Chicago 
once  poured  across  the  moraine  toward  the  Illinois  valley.  With 
uncertain  course,  the  river  runs  for  a  long  distance  on  the 
flat  channel  floor.  This  stretch  between  Summit  and  Lemont 
is  known  as  the  "12-mile  level."  Since  the  construction  of  the 
sanitary  canal,  the  Des  Plaines  is  confined  to  an  artificial  chan- 
nel by  earthworks.  Approaching  Lemont,  the  river  finds  bed 
rock  rising  to  the  level  of  the  valley  floor,  and  still  higher  on 
either  side  in  rock  bluffs.  Near  the  left  bank  of  the  Des  Plaines 
and  parallel  to  it  down  the  outlet,  run  the  Illinois-Michigan 
canal  and  the  Chicago  drainage  canal.  Both  of  them  are 
largely  cut  in  solid  limestone. 

Beyond  Lemont  the  rock  declines  again  to  about  the  level 
of  the  valley  floor,  and  the  channel  is  cut  through  the  thick 
till  structure  of  the  moraine.  Bending  southward,  the  river 
runs  past  Romeo;  and  now  there  appear  at  the  top  of  its 
bluffs,  terrace  remnants  of  an  old  outwash  plain  or  valley  train 
— the  original  filling  of  the  valley,  deeply  trenched  by  the  out- 
let. At  Romeo,  the  Des  Plaines  begins  to  descend  a  long  series 
of  shallow  rapids,  which  lower  it  eight  feet  in  the  ten  miles 
to  the  Joliet  pool.  At  Lockport,  on  the  old  canal,  and  farther 
down,  near  Joliet,  are  three  locks  made  necessary  by  the  rap- 
ids. Here  the  bed  rock  rises  some  thirty  or  forty  feet  above 
the  floor  in  bluffs  on  both  sides  of  the  valley,  forming  a  flat 
rock  terrace  twenty  feet  lower  than  the  fragments  of  the  out- 
wash  plain.  These  two  terraces,  the  one  of  gravel  and  sand 
of  the  outwash,  and  the  other  of  rock,  mark  important  steps  in 
the  history  of  the  river,  and  of  Lake  Chicago  of  which  it  was 
the  outlet.  At  Joliet,  the  river  is  confined  artificially,  passing 
through  the  west  side  of  the  city.  A  single  dam  crosses  it  at 
Jackson  Street.    Below  Joliet  the  descent  of  the  river  is  steep 


74  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

for  two  or  three  miles  to  Brandon's  bridge,  where  it  broadens, 
forming  Joliet  pool. 

This  pool,  otherwise  known  as  "Lake  Joliet,"  occupies  a 
broad,  shallow  depression  (ranging  to  ten  feet  in  depth)  in 
the  floor  of  the  old  outlet.  It  extends  five  miles  down  the  val- 
ley, below  Brandon's  bridge,  allowing  the  river  no  perceptible 
fall  in  that  distance.  The  level  of  the  river  here  is  about  sev- 
enty-six feet  below  Lake  Michigan.  The  pool  is  probably  due 
to  a  deepening  of  the  floor  of  the  ancient  river,  where  it  passed 
from  the  hard  Niagara  limestone  out  on  to  the  weaker  lime- 
stones and  shales  of  the  Cincinnati  formation. 

Below  Joliet  pool,  the  slope  of  the  river  is  again  moderate 
for  three  miles.  Just  beyond  the  mouth  of  the  Du  Page  River 
another  pool,  "Lake  Dupage,"  is  entered.  This  is  ninety  feet 
below  Lake  Michigan,  and  extends  three  miles  down  the  val- 
ley. Half  a  mile  below  it  the  Des  Plaines  joins  the  Kankakee, 
at  the  head  of  the  Illinois  River. — "Physical  Features  of  the 
Des  Plaines  Valley,"  by  J.  W.  Goldthwait. 

The  foregoing  account  of  the  Des  Plaines  valley  includes 
man-made  parts  within  recent  years.  These  were  the  Illinois- 
Michigan  Canal,  the  Chicago  Drainage  Channel,  the  diverting 
of  the  river  to  prepare  for  this  channel,  the  Ogden  dam,  the 
power  plant  between  Lockport  and  Joliet,  and  now  (April, 
1928),  the  beginning  of  the  deep  waterway  project  for  which 
constructions  are  under  way.  Nevertheless  artificial  channels 
and  obstructions  are  comparatively  unimportant  when  com- 
pared with  the  changes  which  were  made  by  Nature.  She 
worked  with  irresistible  power  in  unlimited  time.  Through 
the  ages  the  waters  labored  to  prepare  a  highway  through 
which  mankind  might  travel  to  newer  fields  and  richer  harvest. 

Another  striking  feature  is  the  vision  of  the  first  white  men 
who  came  this  way,  Marquette  and  La  Salle.  They  saw  the 
possibilities  of  communication  over  waterways  connecting  Lake 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  75 

Michigan  with  the  Gulf  by  way  of  the  Mississippi  River.  Too 
tardily  perhaps,  we  are  realizing  what  they  saw. 

The  story  of  the  Laurentian  waters  is  not  remiss  here  be- 
cause it  includes  the  history  of  Lake  Chicago  and  the  Chicago 
outlet.  Both  of  these  are  causative  in  the  geology  of  the  valley 
and  the  valley  in  turn  was  an  agency  in  shaping  the  history  of 
mankind  in  the  county  as  well  as  in  Illinois. 

The  Great  Lakes  are  really  a  part  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
River  basin  in  the  highlands  north  of  the  west  end  of  Lake 
Superior  wThere  we  find  a  small  river.  One  may  imagine  the 
Lakes  shrinking  until  winding  streams  flow  in  the  lowest  parts 
of  the  basin.  Thus  one  may  see  (in  imagination)  a  river  flow- 
ing near  the  "Soo,"  thence  onward  through  Huron  to  the  On- 
tario country,  receiving  in  turn  branches  from  Michigan  and 
Erie  and  Southern  Ontario  and  thence  down  the  St.  Lawrence 
to  the  sea. 

Again  one  may  imagine  that  this  river  was  blocked  at  vari- 
ous places  so  that  water  accumulated  to  form  the  lakes  as  we 
are  familiar  with  them.  Thus  they  become  blocked  river 
valleys. 

The  water  of  the  Great  Lakes  once  flowed  to  the  sea  by  way 
of  the  Chicago  outlet  and  the  Illinois-Mississippi  river.  Later 
they  found  their  way  out  by  way  of  the  Mohawk  Valley  to  the 
Hudson,  and  still  later  by  the  present  route  through  the  Saint 
Lawrence.  Who  shall  say  that  the  present  route  is  permanent? 
Geologists  tell  us  that  the  great  plain  which  contains  the  lakes 
is  tilting  to  the  southwest.  A  few  centuries  may  see  some  of 
the  waters  diverted  to  the  Mississippi  and  a  few  thousand  years 
may  leave  the  Niagara  Gorge  high  and  dry.  But  man  has  al- 
ready caused  some  water  to  flow  through  the  Chicago  outlet. 
If  the  tilting  does  not  cease,  he  may  delay  the  change  for  cen- 
turies by  restraining  the  overflow  and  thus  saving  Niagara 
Falls. 


76  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

As  we  think  on  these  things,  we  wonder  what  forces  caused 
these  changes,  these  dams  in  the  river  valleys  to  produce  the 
wonderful  lake  system,  the  Great  Lakes,  which  have  aided  our 
country  so  much,  and  whose  usefulness  is  just  beginning.  The 
Creator  never  lacks  instruments  for  His  wof  k.  Flowing  water 
had  wrought  through  countless  centuries  grinding  the  rocks 
into  soil.  This  moved  hither  and  thither  and  mixed  until  plants 
grew  and  animals  flourished.  Then  he  sent  the  glaciers  to  re- 
build once  more  that  a  mighty  people  might  live. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE   GLACIER   PERIOD. 


CHANGES  THROUGH  AGES— MAGNITUDE  OF  ICE  SHEETS— MOVED  SOIL,  AND 
ROCKS  OVER  WILL  COUNTY  AND  ILLINOIS— EVIDENCES  OF  GLACIERS  IN 
ILLINOIS— IN  THE  DES  PLAINES  VALLEY— RECEDED  NORTHWARD 

When  what  is  now  Northern  Illinois  emerged  from  the 
Mediterranean  sea  referred  to  in  the  preceding  pages,  air  and 
water  reduced  them  to  particles  to  form  soil.  These  agencies 
of  decay  transformed  the  surface  and  prepared  it  for  plant 
life  which  was  in  turn  followed  by  animals.  Minerals  were 
laid  down  and  sealed  to  provide  rich  stores  for  man.  Age  suc- 
ceeded age,  each  doing  its  share. 

How  much  time  did  this  take?  Who  can  be  sure?  At 
least  as  long  as  it  took  to  fold  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  wear 
them  down  to  a  plain,  uplift  them  again  and  deform  them  by 
erosion.  While  these  things  were  going  on  in  the  Eastern 
Highlands,  the  Illinois  Basin  was  reduced  to  a  level  plain,  a 
lowland  almost  level  with  the  sea.  This  plain  was  then  raised 
by  an  irregular  warping  movement,  making  some  new  rivers 
and  reviving  others  and  these  in  turn  formed  valleys  and  hills, 
uplands  and  plains. 

These  valleys  and  hills,  uplands,  and  plains  were  not  to  re- 
main. The  great  ice  sheet  spread  outward  in  a  circle  from 
two  centers.  Labrador  and  Keewatin.  Why  this  great  field  of 
ice  developed  so  far  from  the  North  Pole,  has  never  been  ex- 
plained.   These  reasons  are  offered  by  geologists:    The  Plane- 

77 


78  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tary  relations  of  the  earth  may  have  changed;  the  ocean-cur- 
rents may  have  shifted  by  deformations  underneath  the  sea; 
the  continent  may  have  risen  above  the  snow-line;  the  at- 
mosphere may  have  changed  so  that  geographic  changes  caused 
a  cool  climate. 

We  are  prone  to  think  of  glaciers  as  narrow  streams  of  ice 
moving  down  some  valley  to  melt  as  soon  as  it  reaches  the 
warmer  regions.  We  are  impressed  by  the  irresistible  force 
which  drives  them  downward.  The  icebergs  which  break  away 
from  their  faces,  fill  us  with  awe.  But  this  ice  sheet  which 
moves  outward  from  the  Canadian  Highlands  covered  4,000,- 
000  square  miles,  as  large  as  the  ice  sheet  which  forms  the 
Antarctic  continent. 

The  ice  was  thick  enough  to  cover  the  mountains  in  the 
northern  Alleghany  regions.  In  the  Des  Plaines  valley,  com- 
putations which  have  been  made  indicate  a  mass  9,000  feet 
thick,  and  over  Joliet  and  Chicago  it  was  12,000  feet.  For  a 
hundred  thousand  years  it  modified  and  shaped  the  hills  and 
plains  which  preceded  it.  A  warmer  climate  melted  the  ice  and 
an  age  of  warm  weather  prevailed.  This  was  succeeded  by  an- 
other glacial  era  to  be  followed  by  an  interglacial  one.  It  is 
thought  that  five  different  glaciers  spread  over  Will  County. 

The  advancing  glacier  gathered  residual  soil  and  rock  de- 
bris. This  was  carried  intact  until  the  melting  ice  released  its 
hold  and  deposited  the  "drift."  It  melted  slowly,  the  drift  ac- 
cumulated in  large  ridges  or  moraines.  If  it  melted  rapidly,  a 
thin  sheet  was  laid  down  over  the  plain.  At  least  four  distinct 
moraines  are  given  for  Illinois  as  follows,  beginning  at  the 
south:  Shelby ville  Moraine,  Bloomington  Moraine,  Marseilles 
Moraine,  and  Valparaiso  Moraine.  The  last  named  is  of  most 
interest  here  because  the  Des  Plaines  Valley  cuts  through  it 
and  parts  of  it  are  found  in  Will  County.  The  southernmost 
limit  of  glaciation  is  placed  as  far  south  as  the  mouth  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  79 

Wabash  River.  Back  of  each  of  these  moraines  may  have  been 
a  lake,  such  as  may  have  been  in  the  Morris  Basin. 

The  traveler  coming  into  Chicago  on  the  Chicago,  Rock 
Island  and  Pacific  Railroad  is  impressed  by  the  level  area  be- 
yond Oak  Forest  about  midway  between  that  station  and  Mid- 
lothian. In  the  season  of  heavy  rains  the  water  seems  im- 
movable. This  is  the  Chicago  Plain  which  was  formed  by  the 
shallow  waters  of  Lake  Chicago.  As  the  ice  receded  rapidly 
northward  from  the  Valparaiso  Moraine,  the  water  accumu- 
lated between  the  moraine  and  the  ice  to  form  the  lake  named 
above.  The  basin  filled  and  poured  forth  over  the  lowest  point 
where  Summit  now  is.  This  is  known  as  the  Chicago  Outlet. 
It  began  the  erosion  which  was  the  chief  cause  in  the  formation 
of  the  present  Des  Plaines  Valley.  It  must  have  been  a  mighty 
stream  for  its  width  is  one  mile,  or  more,  in  the  greatest  width. 
This  flow  of  water  from  the  Lake  to  the  Gulf  has  been  restored, 
in  a  small  way,  by  the  Chicago  Drainage  Canal.  The  Deep 
Waterway  will  carry  this  idea  still  farther. 

The  glacier  receded  northward  beyond  the  Straits  of  Mack- 
inac and  the  impounded  waters  found  a  new  and  easier  way 
to  the  sea.  The  termination  of  the  ice  age  left  the  Great  Lakes 
which  we  have  today.  They  extended  outward  to  the  south 
and  the  east,  as  well  as  westward  at  Duluth.  The  evidence  of 
this  is  found  in  old  beaches  in  the  bordering  states.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  is  taken  from  "Geographic  Influences  in  Ameri- 
can History,"  by  A.  B.  Brigham:  "No  other  inland  navigation 
compares  with  that  of  the  Laurentian  Lakes,  and  what  it  may 
become  in  the  century  just  begun  it  would  be  rash  to  foretell. 
Every  lake  washes  the  borders  of  rich  lands,  andt  hese  lands 
reach  across  the  prairies." 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  ABORIGINES. 


TRACES  OF  MAN'S  EXISTENCE  IN  EARLY  AGES— THE  RED  MAN— MIXTURE  OF 
RACES— DES  PLAINES  VALLEY  THE  GREAT  HIGHWAY  OF  DIFFERENT 
TRIBES — THE  MOUND  BUILDERS— EXCAVATIONS  IN  WILL  COUNTY— EVI- 
DENCES   DISCLOSED— LEVELS 

There  are  found  abundant  traces  of  the  existence  of  men 
in  North  America  during  the  glacial  epoch  have  been  found. 
This  ice  era  began  250,000  years  ago  and  ended  80,000  years 
ago.  Hence  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  human  beings  occupied 
this  continent  as  long  as  100,000  years.  Are  the  Indians  the 
direct  descendants  of  these  aborigines?  Or  were  there  suc- 
cessive waves  of  migration  in  which  the  incoming  race  de- 
stroyed the  residents?  Many  things  may  take  place  in  one 
thousand  centuries.  Not  all  evidence  has  been  found  to  sub- 
stantiate all  the  changes.  In  the  light  of  the  most  recent  dis- 
coveries, we  are  assured  that  many  changes  did  take  place. 
Entire  tribes  migrated  to  new  homes,  either  to  seek  food  or 
to  avoid  others  who  pressed  them  from  the  rear. 

The  reader  can  imagine  great  leaders  rallying  the  warriors 
to  the  defense  of  the  women  and  children.  Many  brave  sol- 
diers fell  defending  their  loved  ones  from  the  enemy.  At  other 
places  the  attacking  party  was  successful,  the  men  were  slain 
and  mothers,  wives,  and  children,  were  rushed  into  bondage, 
to  be  gradually  absorbed  into  the  conquering  tribe,  taking  some 
of  their  own  customs  into  the  lives  of  their  captors  as  well  as 
receiving  some  from  the  other  side.    Thus,  through  the  cen- 

80 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  81 

turies  there  was  a  blending  of  the  people  until  a  uniformity- 
prevailed,  a  sameness  which  extended  from  the  land  of  the 
Eskimo  to  the  southernmost  point  of  South  America. 

The  information  which  we  have  is  not  sufficient  to  deter- 
mine whether  the  Red  Man  descended  from  the  Pleistocene 
man  or  whether  he  came  down  from  migrations  from  Asia. 
The  contour  of  the  bed  of  the  Northern  Pacific  indicates  that 
dry  land  intervened  where  the  Behring  Sea  is  found.  This  was 
comparatively  recent  and  made  such  a  passage  entirely  feasi- 
ble. Speculation  on  these  two  sources  is  interesting  but  not 
necessary  for  a  good  understanding  of  the  history  of  Will 
County. 

They  probably  came  from  the  old  world.  Whether  this 
influx  was  pre-glacial  or  post-glacial  is  unknown,  but  we  are 
certain  that  they  have  been  here  a  long  time.  They  remained 
undisturbed  and  had  no  communication  with  Asia  for  20,000 
years.  We  may  consider  them  natives.  Through  thousands 
of  generations  they  have  acquired  physical  traits  which  are  a 
distinguishing  feature.  The  mental  traits  are  equally  unique. 
Consequently  their  language  as  well  as  their  legends  are  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  the  old  world.  The  social  observances 
and  customs  put  them  by  themselves.  Some  were  in  the  sav- 
age state  while  others  had  developed  into  barbarians.  The 
philosophy  of  life,  religion  if  you  please,  was  by  means  simple. 
Illustrations  of  this  fact  will  appear  in  a  later  discussion. 

The  Red  Men  are  a  different  stock  from  the  Eskimos.  From 
Hudson  Bay  to  Cape  Horn  all  are  the  same.  All  were  just 
simply  Indians.  Tribal  characteristics  were  found  to  distin- 
guish one  group  from  another.  For  example,  Shawnee,  Ojib- 
way,  Kickapoos,  are  all  Algonquin.  Mohawks  and  Tuscaroras 
are  Iroquois.  Algonquin  and  Iroquois  differ  as  French  and 
English  differ.  Sioux,  Blackfeet,  and  others  of  the  Northwest 
are  Dacotahs.  The  tribes  of  the  Southwest  form  another  group. 
The  Incas  of  Peru  still  another.    Each  group  had  distinguish- 

6— VOL.  1 


82  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ing  characteristics  but  it  is  hardly  possible  to  classify  them  upon 
a  grade  of  culture.  Where  they  were  secluded  and  undisturbed 
they  became  tillers  of  the  soil  from  necessity  since  no  liveli- 
hood could  be  had  without  it.  Yet  through  all  the  groups 
there  is  a  homogeneity  which  makes  one  race. 

The  Europeans  have  mixed  because  they  had  reached  a 
higher  state  of  development.  The  blondes  of  the  Northland 
have  intermarried  with  the  brunettes  of  Iberia,  producing  the 
endless  variety  which  we  see  in  Europe.  In  Africa  a  few 
have  kept  apart  and  maintained  a  distinct  group.  The  greater 
part  of  the  so-called  Dark  Continent  have  mixed  freely.  In 
no  other  grand  division  do  we  find  the  uniform  mingling  which 
North  America  had  when  the  whites  came.  If  there  were  dif- 
ferent races  in  the  beginning  they  had  lived  here  long  enough 
to  make  the  best  blend  in  the  world. 

The  reader  asks,  "What  has  all  this  to  do  with  Will  County 
history?"  It  goes  without  saying  that  our  county  is  a  part  of 
the  larger  unit,  the  Illinois  Basin,  and  this  in  turn  is  the  pivotal 
part  of  the  United  States.  But  our  history  is  connected  with 
that  of  the  whole  in  a  more  intimate  way  by  means  of  the  Des 
Plaines  Valley,  the  great  highway  for  so  many  different  tribes 
over  so  long  a  period  of  time.  On  this  road  they  passed  and 
repassed,  sometimes  as  enemies  but  more  often  as  friends. 

The  great  leaders  had  expert  runners  who  acted  as  messen- 
gers from  tribe  to  tribe.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  such  men 
to  travel  from  Michigan  to  Florida  in  nine  or  ten  days.  Many 
trips  in  other  directions  and  over  distances  equally  long  were 
common.  Some  of  them  followed  the  trail  along  the  Des 
Plaines.  Traders,  such  as  the  Iroquois,  passed  this  way  to  bar- 
ter for  supplies  not  found  in  their  own  region.  War  parties 
came  through  by  the  same  route,  because  the  well-worn  trail 
beaten  hard  by  the  impact  of  many  hoofs  in  the  migrating 
herds  of  buffalo,  was  easy  to  follow. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  83 

The  maps  on  archaeology  show  Illinois  as  "unworked  re- 
gion." Recent  discoveries,  made  in  1927,  in  two  places  make  it 
a  major  field  of  exploration  and  discovery.  One  of  these  fields 
is  in  Will  County.  The  discoveries  have  been  made  by  Will 
County  men,  Messrs.  George  Langf  ord  and  Albert  Tennik.  The 
discoveries  of  these  men  in  the  Fisher  Mound  near  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Illinois  River  which  is  the  union  of  the  Kankakee 
and  Des  Plaines  (and  DuPage)  rivers,  was  published  in  the 
American  Archaeologist,  Volume  29,  Number  3,  July,  Septem- 
ber, 1927.  More  of  this  account  will  be  presented  in  later 
paragraphs. 

But  our  history  is  connected  with  that  of  the  whole  in  a 
more  intimate  way  by  means  of  the  Des  Plaines  Valley. 

The  Mound  Builders. — When  the  writer  was  a  boy,  his  his- 
tory of  the  United  States  began  with  a  short  chapter  on  the 
"Mound  Builders."  It  was  a  vague  and  wild  speculation  about 
a  race  of  people  who  were  different  from  the  Red  Man.  A  race 
possessing  a  culture  better  than  ours.  The  picture  included  an 
account  of  a  vanishing  empire  whose  people  were  overthrown 
by  the  Indians  who  were  savage  fighters  ever  seeking  the  blood 
of  others.  It  was  a  fascinating  story  with  pictures  of  mounds 
in  the  shape  of  serpents  in  the  act  of  swallowing  monsters. 
Youthful  imagination  created  terrible  beings  which  menaced 
mankind.  This  was  a  thrilling  account  which  was  connected 
with  the  story  of  the  serpent  in  the  Garden  of  Eden.  This 
vast  and  hazy  history  was  easy  to  write  and  easier  to  believe. 
It  prevailed  for  many  years. 

Fiske,  in  his  "Discovery  of  America,"  says:  "There  is  no 
reason  for  supposing  that  there  was  an  empire  of  any  sort  in 
ancient  North  America,  and  no  relic  of  the  past  has  ever  been 
seen  at  any  spot  on  our  planet  which  indicates  the  former  ex- 
istence of  a  vanished  civilization  even  remotely  approaching 
our  own.     The  sooner  the  student  of  history  has  his  head 


84  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

cleared  of  all  such  rubbish,  the  better.  As  for  the  mounds, 
which  are  scattered  in  such  profusion  over  the  country  west 
of  the  Alleghanies,  there  are  some  which  have  been  built  by 
Indians  since  the  arrival  of  white  men  in  America  and  which 
contain  knives  and  trinkets  of  European  manufacture.  There 
are  many  others  which  are  much  older,  and  in  which  the  genu- 
ine remains  sometimes  indicate  a  culture  like  that  of  the  Shaw- 
nees  or  Senecas. 

With  the  progress  of  research,  the  vast  and  vague  notion 
of  a  distant  race  of  'Mound  Builders,  became  narrow  and 
defined.  It  began  to  seem  probable  that  the  builders  of  the 
more  remarkable  mounds  were  tribes  of  Indians  who  had  ad- 
vanced beyond  the  average  level,  in  horticulture,  and  conse- 
quently in  density  of  population,  and  perhaps  in  political  and 
priestly  organization.  There  were  times  in  the  career  of  sun- 
dry Indian  tribes  when  circumstances  induced  them  to  erect 
mounds  as  sites  for  communal  houses  or  council  houses,  medi- 
cine lodges  or  burial  places;  somewhat  as  there  was  a  period 
in  the  history  of  our  own  fore-fathers  in  England  when  cir- 
cumstances led  them  to  build  moated  castles,  with  drawbridges 
and  portcullis;  and  there  is  no  more  occasion  for  assuming 
a  mysterious  race  of  'Mound  Builders'  in  America  than  for 
assuming  a  mysterious  race  of  'Castle  Builders'  in  England." 
— "The  Discovery  of  America,"  pp.  140-146. 

The  excavations  which  have  made  Will  County  a  major 
region  in  archaeology  were  made  by  Messrs.  Langford  and 
Tennik,  near  the  source  (beginning)  of  the  Illinois  River.  The 
quotations  which  follow  are  taken  from  the  article  in  the 
American  Anthropologist  (Volume  29,  No.  3,  July,  1927) : 

"In  Northeastern  Illinois,  about  sixty  miles  southwest  of 
Chicago,  where  the  Des  Plaines  and  Kankakee  rivers  converge 
to  form  the  Illinois,  is  an  old  Indian  village  and  mound  site 
which  after  extensive  excavation  has  yielded  interesting  dis- 
closures.   In  this  region  evidence  of  aboriginal  occupation  is 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  85 

generally  denoted  by  surface  deposits  of  chipped  flint,  frag- 
mentary pottery  and  occasional  polished  stone  artifacts.  More 
than  one  culture  is  doubtless  represented  but  there  is  no  way 
of  determining  this.  The  mounds  to  be  described  give  oppor- 
tunity for  such  determinations.  Their  outstanding  features 
are:  numerous  superimposed  graves  arranged  strategraph- 
ically  and  culturally  making  at  least  three  occupations 
with  brachycephals  above  and  dolichocephals  below;  in  inter- 
mediate pre-European  culture  prolific  in  small  triangular  chert 
arrowpoints,  day  pots  and  artifacts  of  stone,  bone,  copper,  and 
shell.  Post-European-  objects  are  few  and  confined  to  the 
surface. 

The  locality,  formerly  part  of  the  Cornelius  estate  in  Will 
County,  on  the  Will-Grundy  County  line,  is  known  as  the  Dan 
Fisher  farm.  It  may  be  reached  by  automobile  from  Joliet  on 
State  Road  No.  7,  driving  eleven  miles  to  Channahon,  then 
leaving  the  concrete  and  crossing  the  Des  Plaines  River  over 
Smith's  bridge.  From  there  the  right-hand  road  follows  the 
left  bank  of  the  river  past  Fisher's,  the  latter  being  about  five 
miles  beyond  Channahon. 

This  site  is  a  glacial  limestone  gravel  deposit  overlain  by 
a  veneer  of  dark  surface  soil,  with  sandstone  and  clay  of  the 
Lower  Coal  Measures  beneath.  The  land  is  about  thirty  feet 
above  the  Des  Plaines  River  and  overlooks  a  lowland  which 
extends  from  the  water  inland  seventy-five  yards,  or  more. 
One  hundred  feet  back  from  the  low  bluff's  edge  are  two  circu- 
lar eminences:  the  "Big  East  Mound"  of  5  feet  high  and  50 
feet  in  diameter,  and  the  "Big  West  Mound,"  6  feet  by  60.  Near 
them  are  the  smaller  and  almost  unreognizable  "Small  East"; 
"West",  "Southeast",  and  several  other  mounds  and  around 
these  are  about  40  circular  pits,  from  15  to  30  feet  in  diameter, 
several  feet  deep  and  bordered  by  raised  gravel  ridges. 

In  November,  1906,  Messrs.  Howard  Colmer  and  George 
Langford  noticed  colored  glass  beads  which  had  been  brought 


86  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

up  by  some  burrowing  animal.  Two  feet  below  the  surface 
they  found  an  adult  male  skeleton  together  with  a  rusty  iron 
knife,  silver  crescent  and  pendant,  small  glass  beads,  bits  of 
cloth,  a  carved  bone  and  pieces  of  copper  plate.  The  next 
spring  found  four  more  skeletons  were  uncovered  with  numer- 
ous pieces  of  silver  near  them.  They  found  reliquaries,  crosses, 
round  brooches,  pendants,  bracelets,  and  arm  bands,  also  a 
small  mirror,  patched  iron  pot,  pierced  clamshell,  bone  pin, 
cloth  fragments,  large  glass  beads,  pieces  of  copper  plate,  and 
one  large  stemmed  arrow-point  of  pinkish  flint.  The  silver 
brooches  were  embossed  "G.  C."  and  "Montreal,"  denoting 
George  Cruikshank,  a  Montreal  silversmith  of  post-Revolution- 
ary times.  This  would  indicate  that  they  were  buried  near 
the  close  of  the  18th  century. 

The  excavations  revealed  three  levels,  or  layers,  of  graves. 
The  upper  layer  disclosed  post-European  objects  in  the  first 
find  but  later  explorations  showed  only  one,  the  body  of  an 
infant  accompanied  by  glass  beads.  The  arrow  heads  and  re- 
jected parts  were  such  as  were  found  with  Indians  when  the 
whites  knew  them.  The  middle  level  revealed  remains  which 
had  not  been  disturbed  much.  The  skulls  and  bones  were  of  a 
smaller  people.  Arrowpoints  were  unstemmed,  triangular  in 
shape,  and  made  of  chert.  Long,  slender  "drillpoints"  were 
found.  No  notched  arrowpoints  were  uncovered.  The  lower 
layer  contained  remains  which  indicated  larger  men  and 
women.  They  faced  north  in  crouching  positions  with  no  relics 
excepting  a  few  ornaments  made  from  marine  shells.  Four 
flints  were  found  in  one  grave  but  they  evidently  were  not  man 
made. 

Burial  customs  for  those  found  in  the  upper  level  could 
not  be  determined  because  the  remains  had  been  disturbed  by 
cultivation,  by  the  burrowing  of  animals  and  by  careless  ex- 
cavators who  preceded  these  two.  The  middle  level  some  were 
buried  prone  while  others  were  in  a  crouching  position.    The 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  87 

relics  seemed  to  be  such  as  had  been  used  for  necklaces  and 
other  ornaments.  In  the  lower  level  they  lay  upon  their  sides 
with  knees  drawn  up  and  arms  bent  with  hands  beneath  the 
chin.  The  mosaic  of  pebbles  beneath  the  head  was  very  strik- 
ing. Usually  some  odd  stone  formed  a  centerpiece  surrounded 
by  the  uniform  stones  arranged  in  a  mosaic.  A  majority  had 
the  heads  west  and  feet  east.  A  pot  of  artifacts  was  found 
in  almost  every  grave.  Large  clay  pots  were  found  with  female 
adults  and  smaller  ones  with  children.  Frequently  the  bones 
of  one  hand  were  within  the  pot.  The  pots  contained  clam 
shell  spoons  covered  with  a  gritty  brown  film.  Bits  of  bones 
were  found  in  some  which  seemed  to  have  held  broth  or  stew. 
No  signs  of  altars  were  found  excepting  one  excavation  which 
was  a  hole  three  feet  across  and  one  foot  deep,  filled  with 
ashes.  Remains  of  human  bones  were  in  the  ashes  and  the 
gravel  around  the  pit  show  the  effects  of  fire.  No  indication 
of  bundled  burials  or  cremations  were  disclosed." 

The  location  and  description  of  the  mounds  was  quoted  ex- 
actly. The  account  of  the  discoveries  is  a  free  version  by  the 
editor  who  wished  to  eliminate  technical  details.  The  account 
of  the  artifacts  can  be  given  best  in  Mr.  Langford's  own  words: 
"There  was  no  sign  of  grain  nor  any  tools  which  suggested 
cultivation  of  the  soil.  No  seeds  or  fruits  appeared  nor  were 
there  any  traces  of  perishable  material,  such  as  cloth,  hide, 
hair,  woven  reeds  or  wood  with  few  exceptions.  Apparently 
the  people  of  the  Lower  and  Middle  Levels  at  least,  subsisted 
upon  fish,  flesh,  and  fowl.  Of  cloth,  the  only  suggestion  is  a 
small  piece  about  one  inch  square  which  appears  to  be  coarse 
matting.  It  adhered  to  one  of  two  copper  ear  discs  on  the 
face  of  W  M  73.  These  discs  heavily  encrusted  with  green 
oxide,  had  also  preserved  two  round  flat  and  pierced  buttons 
made  of  leather  or  wood,  discs  and  buttons  evidently  being 
fastened  together  and  used  as  ornaments.  In  two  other  in- 
stances the  buttons  had  been  preserved  by  contact  with  the 


88  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

copper  discs.  Of  three  copper  bead  necklaces,  the  string  hold- 
ing them  was  recognizable  although  reduced  to  powder.  Of 
wood,  I  found  several  small  chunks  in  the  upper  level.  These 
were  too  soft  to  handle.  Small  crumby  pieces  of  bark  lay  em- 
bedded in  the  Ash  Layer.  Marks  of  hardened  grease  appear 
in  some  of  the  clay  pots,  and  the  shell  spoons  are  frequently 
encrusted  with  a  hard,  gritty  brown  film.  Some  of  the  bone 
artifacts  have  particles  of  gritty  film  adhering  to  them,  tena- 
cious enough  in  several  instances  to  fasten  various  articles  to 
each  other.  The  dog  is  the  only  animal  observed  that  can  be 
considered  domesticated.  It  occurs  in  the  Upper  Level  but  not 
with  certainty  below,  and  I  find  no  sign  of  it  beneath  the  Ash 
Layer.  The  bison  is  absent.  Of  chipped  stone  implements,  no 
notched  or  stemmed  piece  occurs  below  the  Black  Seam.  The 
polished  stone  implements  are  celts  only.  Grooved  axes  and 
clubs,  pierced  tablets,  effigies  and  other  polished  pieces  which 
are  occasionally  picked  up  in  neighboring  localities,  remain  as 
yet  undiscovered  on  the  Fisher  site.  Pipes,  too,  are  absent,  at 
least  I  have  found  none,  either  of  stone  or  clay,  in  any  of  the 
mounds.  The  objects  to  be  enumerated  are  clay  pots,  and 
artifacts  of  copper,  shell,  stone  and  bone.  The  occurrence  of 
marine  gastropods  fabricated  into  ornaments  is  interesting. 

Two  other  shorter  and  thicker  shell  beads  were  at  the 
throats  of  broad  heads  in  the  Middle  Level.  These  may  have 
been  made  from  the  thick  river  clam  shells.  They  are  the  larg- 
est at  the  center,  tapering  to  both  ends.  At  least  four  species 
of  clams  abundant  in  the  Des  Plaines  River  served  as  food 
for  the  aborigines  and  some  of  the  shells  were  fabricated  for 
use.  Seventy-five  per  cent  or  more  of  the  clay  pots  contained 
shell  spoons,  the  hinge  portion  being  trimmed  down  and  the 
large  and  double-notched  to  form  a  stub  handle.  Several  were 
scalloped  on  the  lower  margin  and  one  had  four  long  prongs 
which  made  it  appear  like  a  combination  spoon  and  fork.  I 
secured  shell  pendants  from  three  burial  places,  all  placed  upon 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  89 

the  breast.  Two  are  pierced  with  tiny  holes  at  one  end,  and 
all  three  have  two  large  holes  in  the  center.  Animal  bones  oc- 
curred abundantly  in  the  diggings.  Deer  bones  were  the  most 
common,  and  among  these  the  scapula  predominated.  Only 
the  articular  end  was  preserved,  although  the  blade  could  oc- 
casionally be  recognized  by  splinters.  Foot  bones  were  plenti- 
ful; the  upper  ends  of  humeri  and  fermora  absent.  From  the 
numerous  specimens  I  have  thus  far  identified  the  deer,  elk, 
bear,  canids,  wildcats,  otter,  beaver,  mink,  weasel,  skunk,  rac- 
coon, muskrat,  rabbit,  wild  turkey,  heron,  goose,  and  soft- 
shelled  turtle,  and  have  recognized  small  rodents,  birds,  fishes, 
and  turtles.  Frequently  unfabricated  animal  bones  served  as 
charms  or  for  other  purposes,  being  found  beneath  skulls  in 
company  with  stone  and  bone  artifacts.  Often  they  so  occurred 
in  pairs.  Deer  and  elk  phalanges  were  cut  off  at  the  proximal 
end  and  hollowed  for  some  purpose.  Many  such  pieces  in  close 
association  with  the  skeletons  were  doubtless  used,  contrast- 
ing with  the  numerous  burned  and  unburned  fragments  scat- 
tered through  the  diggings  between  the  Black  Seam  and  the 
ground  level." 

The  summary  of  observations  on  the  Fisher  Mounds  is  given 
in  Mr.  Langf  ord's  words.  It  is  concise  and  sums  up  the  import 
of  the  discoveries  so  far  as  they  have  progressed.  The  corre- 
lation with  neighboring  localities  is  also  presented  in  full. 

"The  following  summary  is  not  presented  as  a  statement 
of  conclusions  but  as  a  working  basis  for  further  study.  Strati- 
graphically  considered,  the  two  big  mounds  appear  divisible 
into  layers  or  levels  each  consisting  of  several  zones  as  evi- 
denced by  the  human  burials  and  relics  with  particular  atten- 
tion to  each  grave's  plane  of  origin,  measurements  of  skulls 
and  burial  postures. 

Upper  Level,  Zone  1. — This  is  post-European  culture  pre- 
sented near  the  surface  of  the  two  big  mounds  by  trade  silver 


90  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and  glass  and  kaolin  beads.  In  the  small  Southeast  Mound 
aboriginal  pieces  of  bone,  copper,  shell,  and  flint,  accompanied 
glass  beads,  silver  ornaments  and  other  European  objects.  The 
skeletal  evidence  is  scanty  but  the  skulls,  statures,  and  burial 
postures  are  probably  much  the  same  as  in  the  zone  below. 

Upper  Level  Zone  2. — There  were  no  European  objects; 
only  notched  or  stemmed  flint  or  chert  arrowpoints,  and  pos- 
sibly a  few  small  crude  clay  pots.  The  few  skeletons  ascribed 
with  reasonable  certainty  to  this  zone  are  of  moderate  stature 
with  short  or  round  high  heads,  broad  noses,  short  faces  and 
low  orbits.  No  ashes  overlay  the  skeletons  which  were  in  vari- 
ous postures  upon  the  back  or  side  facing  in  no  particular 
direction. 

Middle  Level,  Zone  1. — The  culture  is  represented  by  pol- 
ished bone  artifacts,  small  triangular  chert  arrowpoints,  copper 
celts,  chisel-like  stone  celts  and  clay  pots  crudely  made  with 
little  or  no  ornamentation.  Here  was  a  varied  assemblage  of 
skeletons  of  from  moderate  to  good  stature  with  all  shapes  of 
heads;  long,  meso,  and  short;  broad  and  meso  noses,  long  and 
meso  faces  and  low  and  meso  orbits.  There  were  no  ashes  but 
head  and  shoulders  were  occasionally  covered  with  large  gravel. 
Most  of  the  burials  occurred  at  the  rim  of  each  large  mound. 
Although  a  few  were  to  be  found  nearer  the  center  and  such 
graves  were  dug  deeply.  The  burial  postures  varied  as  in  the 
level  above. 

Middle  Level,  Zone  2. — This  section  wherein  the  graves  were 
below  ground  level,  contained  the  great  bulk  of  human  skele- 
tons, clay  pots  and  artifacts,  the  latter  consisting  of  crude 
bone,  copper  polished  stones,  chert  and  shell  objects.  The  shell 
pieces  were  spoons,  pendants  and  tube  beads  carved  from  clam 
shells.  Small  triangular  and  slender  arrowpoints  together  with 
a  few  leaf-shaped  blades  comprise  the  chert  pieces.    Polished 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  91 

stone  artifacts  were  represented  by  a  few  small  celts.  The 
clay  pots  are  small  to  large  with  bark-like,  sometimes  smooth 
surfaces  undecorated  or  covered  with  "antler-point"  designs. 
The  skeletons,  mostly  female  adults  and  young,  are  of  modest 
stature  and  physical  development  with  short  high  heads,  some 
of  which  are  comparatively  broad  with  broad  noses,  long  faces 
and  meso  to  low  orbits.  The  graves  were  frequently  overlain 
by  beds  of  ashes  mixed  with  dirt,  charcoal,  clam-shells,  and 
splintered  animal  bones. 

Middle  Level,  Zone  2. — Burials  in  this  zone  were  without 
post  or  artifacts.  The  skeletons  are  of  small  stature,  with 
round,  high  heads,  narrow  noses,  long  faces  and  high  to  low 
orbits.  No  ashbeds  or  debris  covered  the  skeletons,  which  lay 
sprawling  in  various  directions. 

Lower  Level,  Zone  1.— No  pots  or  artifacts  of  any  kind 
occurred  here,  nor  were  there  any  ashes  or  debris  around  the 
skeletons,  the  latter  lying  in  pure  gravel  with  only  slight  dis- 
coloration or  change  in  texture  above  to  betray  the  graves 
beneath.  The  skeletons  show  good  stature  and  physical  devel- 
opment, with  meso  high  heads,  narrow  noses,  long  faces,  and 
meso  orbits.  There  were  irregular  crouching  burials  usually 
upon  the  left  side  with  face  half  up  or  down,  knees  and  legs 
not  laid  close  together  and  faces  looking  north. 

Lower  Level,  Zone  2. — The  culture  is  scanty;  two  small 
pendants  with  WM  76  and  one  tube  with  EM  98  made  from 
marine  gastropod  shells,  and  four  doubtful  flints  with  E  M 
28.  The  skeletons  are  medium  in  stature  and  physical  devel- 
opment with  long  high  heads,  narrow  to  meso  noses,  long  faces 
and  meso  to  low  orbits.  E  M  41  is  broadnosed.  Of  seven  adults 
surely  in  this  zone,  and  two  slightly  uncertain,  all  were  crouch- 
ing burials  studiously  arranged  with  knees  and  legs  together, 


92  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

faces  looking  north.  Eight  lay  upon  the  left  side,  one  upon 
the  right.  The  Fisher  Site,  correlated  with  a  neighboring  local- 
ity. In  the  September  1919  issue  of  the  American  Anthropol- 
ogist, I  described  "The  Kankakee  Refuse  Heap",  a  sharply 
restricted  pre-European  camp  site  on  the  Kankakee  River 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  above  where  it  empties  into  the 
Illinois.  The  locality  unlike  others  in  this  region,  abounds  in 
small  triangular  chert  arrow-points  and  rejects,  utilized  bone 
and  antler,  rude  hammer  stones,  grooved  sandstone  pieces, 
broken  shells,  burned  animal  bones  and  potsherds  tempered 
with  both  shell  and  grit.  Many  of  the  latter  bear  "antler- 
point"  decoration.  Recently  I  have  found  two  inconspicuous 
burial  mounds  upon  the  site  but  the  human  bones  buried  in 
clay  are  too  poorly  preserved  for  a  study  of  their  characteristics 
except  that  they  were  of  small  people. 

My  article  referred  to  the  locality  as  unique  in  this  region, 
mainly  because  of  the  great  abundance  of  small  triangular  and, 
slender  chert  arrow  points  together  with  the  rejects  and  refuse 
of  their  manufacture.  It  also  contains  shell  spoons,  polished 
bone  cylinders,  edged  hammerstones,  grooved  sandstones, 
polished  antler  points  cut  or  bored,  hollowed  out,  deer  and  elk 
phalanges,  and  bone  pins.  These  and  the  potsherds,  also  the 
animal  bones,  agree  with  those  from  the  Fisher  site.  Clay 
deposits  exposed  on  the  Kankakee  River  Banks  offered  abund- 
ant material  for  the  manufacture  of  pottery.  The  culture  of 
the  surrounding  country  is  characterized  by  notched  arrow- 
points  made  from  flint,  chalcedony  and  other  stone,  and  some 
of  these  appearing  among  the  "Refuse  Heap"  relics  may  be 
correlated  with  the  upper  level  of  the  Fisher  site.  Not  one 
piece  punch-stamped  or  rouletted  ware  has  appeared  among 
the  numerous  "Refuse  Heap"  potsherds.  These  facts,  together 
with  other  evidence,  go  to  show  that  the  "Kankakee  River  Re- 
fuse Heap"  and  Fisher  Middle  Level  are  the  same  and  preceded 
the  prevailing  and  better  known  culture  of  this  region." 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  INDIANS. 


"HIAWATHA"— TRADITIONS— BLENDING  OF  TRIBES— CHIEFS— HABITS  AND  CUS- 
TOMS—FISHING AND  HUNTING — GRAINS — CULTIVATION  OF  THE  SOIL- 
DOMESTIC  ARTICLES— THE  BOW  AND  ARROW— OTHER  IMPLEMENTS- 
ARROW  MAKER— WAMPUM — POTTERY— TRIBES— TRAILS— CHARACTERIS- 
TICS—RELIGION— WARS  AND  INDIAN  TROUBLE 

From  Longfellow's  "Hiawatha"  we  take  this  sentiment  as 
an  introduction  to  the  account  of  the  Indians. 

Ye  who  love  the  haunts  of  Nature, 
Love  the  sunshine  of  the  meadow, 
Love  the  shadow  of  the  forest, 
Love  the  wind  among  the  branches, 
And  the  rain-shower  and  the  snow-storm, 
And  the  rushing  of  great  rivers 
Through  their  palisades  of  pine-trees, 
And  the  thunder  in  the  mountains, 
Whose  innumerable  echoes 
Flap  like  eagles  in  their  eyries; 
Listen  to  these  wild  traditions, 
To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha ! 

Ye  who  love  a  nation's  legends, 
Love  the  ballads  of  a  people, 
That  like  voices  from  afar  off 
Call  to  us  to  pause  and  listen, 

93 


94  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Speak  in  tones  so  plain  and  childlike, 
Scarcely  can  the  ear  distinguish 
Whether  they  are  sung  or  spoken: 
Listen  to  this  Indian  Legend, 
To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha ! 

Ye  whose  hearts  are  fresh  and  simple, 
Who  have  faith  in  God  and  Nature, 
Who  believe,  that  in  all  ages 
Every  human  heart  is  human, 
That  in  even  savage  bosoms 
There  are  longings,  yearnings,  strivings 
For  the  good  they  comprehend  not, 
That  the  feeble  hands  and  helpless, 
Groping  blindly  in  the  darkness, 
Touch  God's  right  hand  in  that  darkness 
And  are  lifted  up  and  strengthened: 
Listen  to  this  simple  story, 
To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha ! 

Ye,  who  sometimes,  in  your  rambles 
Through  the  green  lanes  of  the  country, 
Where  the  tangled  barberry-bushes 
Hand  their  tufts  of  crimson  berries 
Over  stone  walls  gray  with  mosses 
Pause  by  some  neglected  graveyard, 
For  a  while  to  muse,  and  ponder 
On  a  half -effaced  inscription, 
Written  with  little  skill  of  song-craft, 
Homely  phrases,  but  each  letter 
Full  of  hope  and  yet  of  heart-break, 
Full  of  all  the  tender  pathos 
Of  the  Here  and  the  Hereafter: 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  95 

How  do  we  know  the  history  of  the  Indian?  The  Red  Man 
was  a  Stoic  whose  mind  was  seldom  revealed  to  a  white  man. 
His  contact  with  whites  made  him  more  communicative,  never- 
theless his  philosophy  of  life,  his  traditions,  and  his  religion, 
are  not  easy  to  understand  because  he  conceals  rather  than  re- 
veals. He  had  no  written  language.  Picture  writing  was  used 
and  some  records  are  preserved.  He  passed  his  traditions  from 
generation  to  generation  but  the  Red  Man,  the  child  of  nature, 
was  a  poet  and  this  colored  the  traditions  in  each  reiteration. 
His  stocism  is  illustrated  in  the  account  of  the  "Sacred  Pack" 
which  came  from  a  member  of  the  Fox  Tribe  after  four  genera- 
tions of  contact  with  whites.  This  will  be  given  in  succeeding 
pages. 

Mounds  are  found  in  numbers  in  Will  County  as  in  other 
parts  of  the  State.  Many  of  our  own  remain  unexplored. 
Indian  trails  have  been  fixed  to  show  regions  traversed  and 
possible  migrations. 

In  preceding  pages,  under  Aborigines,  we  spoke  of  the  blend- 
ing of  the  tribes  from  the  land  of  the  Eskimo  to  Central  Amer- 
ica and  even  to  Cape  Horn.  Sir  John  Lubbock  states  it  thus: 
"Their  manners  and  customs,  their  opinions  and  mental  habits, 
had,  whenever  they  were  inquired  into,  at  the  earliest  dates, 
much  in  common.  Their  modes  of  war  and  worship,  hunting 
and  amusements  were  very  simple.  In  the  sacrifice  of  prison- 
ers taken  in  war;  in  the  laws  of  retaliation;  in  the  sacred 
character  attached  to  public  transactions  solemnized  by  smok- 
ing the  pipe ;  in  the  adpotion  of  persons  taken  in  war,  in  fami- 
lies; in  the  exhibition  of  dances  on  almost  every  occasion  that 
can  enlist  human  sympathy;  in  the  meagre  and  articial  style 
of  music;  in  the  totemic  tie  that  binds  relationships  together, 
and  in  the  system  of  symbols  and  figures  cut  and  marked  on 
their  grave  posts,  on  trees,  and  sometimes  on  rocks,  there  is  a 
perfect  identity  of  principles,  arts,  and  opinions." 


96  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  Red  Men  of  North  America,  sometimes  called  the  Red 
Indians,  have  been  presented  in  many  lights  by  historians,  prose 
writers,  poets,  and  fiction  writers.  The  poet  presents  an  ideal- 
ized being  with  the  human  traits  found  in  the  best  European 
stock.  Longfellow's  Hiawatha  is  the  most  familiar  character 
of  this  type.  The  reader  admires  Hiawatha  for  his  patience, 
his  endurance,  his  devotion  to  his  people,  and  sacrifices  which 
he  made  that  they  might  prosper.  The  romance  of  his  life 
enchants  us.  The  artist  has  pictured  him  in  many  paintings. 
Is  this  the  real  Indian  character  or  is  the  glorified  being  of 
our  imagination  in  which  we  vision  the  attributes  which  we  are 
most  anxious  to  see? 

The  historian  presents  King  Philip  as  a  patriot  of  the  high- 
est order.  Pontiac  is  shown  as  one  who  sought  to  redeem  the 
land  of  his  fathers.  Black  Hawk  and  Keokuk  are  glorified  in 
story  and  in  sculpture.  Tecumseh  is  brought  forward  as  a 
statesman  among  the  Red  Men  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Atlantic  and  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf. 

The  Indians  were  unstable  in  their  government  as  well  as  in 
their  dwelling  places.  They  migrated  at  short  intervals  either 
in  search  of  food  and  clothing  procured  by  hunting  and  fishing, 
or  in  conquests  through  tribal  warfare.  One  tribe  absorbed 
another  or  fragments  of  two  or  more  tribes  united  for  common 
defense  against  invading  warriors.  Oftimes  disease  destroyed 
the  greater  part  of  a  tribe  thus  leaving  a  fragmentary  organi- 
zation which  was  easily  enslaved  by  invading  people.  In  times 
of  plenty  they  feasted  and  when  game  was  scarce,  they  starved. 

For  such  a  people  language,  government,  religion,  manners, 
and  customs  are  followed  with  difficulty.  Nevertheless,  quite 
a  definite  philosophy  of  life  was  established  and  religion  be- 
came more  or  less  fixed.  It  is  our  purpose  to  present  these  as 
the  accounts  progress. 

In  so  far  as  the  history  of  Will  County  is  concerned,  three 
groups  are  of  interest  because,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  they 


CHICAGO  STREET,   JOLIET,   ILL. 


POSTOFFICE,   JOLIET,   ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  97 

are  associated  with  the  territory  now  included  in  Will  County. 
The  Algonquins  are  the  first  and  most  numerous,  extending 
from  Kentucky  to  the  Mississippi  River  and  eastward  as  far 
as  Maine.  This  group  included  many  tribes,  but  those  most 
intimately  associated  with  Will  County  are  Mascoutens,  Sacs, 
Foxes,  Pottawottamies,  and  Illinois. 

The  Iroquois,  or  Five  Nations  of  New  York  included  Mo- 
)C  hawks,  Oneidas,  Onondagas,  Cayugas,  and  Senecas.  They  came 
through  the  Des  Plaines  Valley  frequently  on  war  expeditions 
against  the  Illinois  and  other  tribes.  Less  frequently  they 
journeyed  through  this  highway  to  trade  for  goods  which  could 
be  bartered  with  the  whites.  None  of  this  group  became  per- 
manent residents.  They  left  an  imprint  in  the  language  and 
customs  through  intermarriage  but  never  enough  to  make  radi- 
cal changes. 

The  Dacotahs  of  the  Northwest,  known  as  the  Sioux  family 
traveled  this  route  in  war  parties  or  in  expeditions  for  trade. 
These  were  nomads  who  were  engaged  in  war,  most  of  the  time. 
No  permanent  residents  are  recorded.  The  Winnebargoes  about 
Green  Bay,  were  of  this  family.  They  are  mentioned  frequent- 
ly in  the  accounts  of  the  labors  of  Father  Marquette,  Father 
Allouez,  and  of  Tonty,  and  others. 

The  region  between  Lake  Michigan  on  the  east  and  the 
Mississippi  River  on  the  west,  known  as  the  Illinois  Basin,  is 
a  region  of  great  fertility  where  the  soil  overlies  beds  of  coal 
of  unmeasured  value.  The  Indian's  manner  of  living  made  no 
demand  upon  the  stores  of  fuel  underneath  the  surface.  For 
him  the  dead  wood  found  in  the  primeval  forests  sufficed  to 
keep  his  small  fires  burning.  He  was  inured  to  the  cold  and  his 
cooking  was  less  complex  than  our  own.  His  conservation  of 
fuel,  or  rather  his  saving  of  labor,  is  summed  up  in  this  state- 
ment by  an  observing  Red  Man,  "White  Man  makes  big  fire 
and  sits  way  off.    Indian  makes  small  fire  and  sit  close  up." 

7_VOL.  1 


98  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

But,  the  virgin  soil  of  the  prairies  produced  abundant  pas- 
turage for  herds  of  game.  Thus  food  was  abundant  and  skins 
for  clothing  and  shelter  were  easy  to  get.  The  alluvial  soil  in 
the  river  bottoms  was  easy  to  cultivate  while  the  ground  water 
was  sufficient  to  grow  his  crops  even  when  the  season  was  dry. 
The  rivers  teemed  with  fish.  Wild  fruits  were  to  be  had  for 
the  gathering. 

These  things  meant  much  wealth  to  the  Indians  and  con- 
sequently, conquest  followed  conquest.  Tribes  were  extermin- 
ated, or  driven  out,  or  subjected  to  slavery  and  absorption  by 
the  conquering  peoples.  The  Red  Man  was  of  a  migratory  na- 
ture, restless  when  game  was  scarce  and  food  was  hard  to  ob- 
tain. The  Illinois  Basin  was  the  scene  of  many  wars.  The  vic- 
torious ones  may  have  lived  in  comfort  for  a  few  decades,  or 
for  many  generations,  but  eventually  others  came  to  drive  them 
away  for  he  who  lives  in  superfluous  abundance  grows  weak 
in  body  and  vaccillating  in  mind. 

Thus  many  nations  found  a  home  here,  as  neighbors  some- 
times but  more  often  conquerors.  Highways  of  trade  and 
routes  of  travel  known  to  them  have  since  become  canals,  rail- 
road routes,  concrete  roads.  Through  Will  County  the  Des 
Plaines  Valley  is  the  great  thoroughfare.  A  mere  list  of  the 
present  day  routes  evidences  this:  The  Illinois  and  Michigan 
Canal  and  The  Chicago  Drainage  Channel;  the  Chicago  and 
Alton  Railroad  and  the  Sante  Fe  Railroad;  routes  44  and  44 A 
of  the  State  Highway  System  under  construction. 

School  histories  were  disposed  to  picture  the  natives  as  lazy 
loafers  who  sat  around  idling  and  smoking,  permitting  the 
squaws  to  provide  food  and  fuel,  to  carry  the  burdens  on  the 
march,  to  erect  the  houses,  dress  the  skins  for  clothing  and  wig- 
wams, raise  the  crops,  and  care  for  the  children.  The  early 
whites  jumped  at  conclusions  because  they  found  a  people  whom 
they  did  not  understand.  The  stoicism  of  the  Red  Man  ac- 
centuated his  peculiarities.    To  him  hunting  was  labor;  fish- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  99 

ing  to  procure  the  necessities  of  life  became  a  task;  tracking 
game  was  a  profession  in  which  skill  was  acquired  through 
years  of  study.  The  women  did  manual  labor  that  the  husband 
and  father  might  retain  the  celerity  and  precision  demanded 
of  him  as  a  provider  and  protector. 

The  Red  Man  was  a  skilled  hunter.  He  knew  the  haunts 
and  habits  of  the  game  he  followed.  His  skill  in  stalking  was 
only  equalled  by  his  ability  to  use  the  weapons  he  carried.  As 
a  hunter,  he  never  killed  more  than  he  could  use.  The  white 
man  might  have  learned  much  from  him  in  this  regard.  That 
his  supply  of  food  and  clothing  might  endure,  he  practiced  con- 
servation, migrating  if  need  be,  to  allow  sufficient  reproduction 
to  take  place. 

Fishing  provided  a  goodly  portion  of  the  food  needed. 
Spears  were  used;  crude  nets  were  employed;  weirs  of  brush 
and  twigs  were  fashioned  in  the  streams  to  catch  the  fish.  His 
knowledge  of  the  habits  of  fish  was  good  and  sufficed  to  direct 
him  in  the  catch. 

The  agriculture  of  the  aborigines  of  North  America  did  not 
come  from  Europe.  It  is  a  result  of  the  gradual  development 
of  a  people  who  developed  a  civilization  of  their  own.  This  is 
designated  as  a  semi-civilization  in  many  of  the  books  on  pre- 
historic times.  The  grains  of  the  Old  World  are  entirely  absent. 
American  agriculture  centers  around  maize,  an  American  plant. 
This  is  a  wonderful  crop  so  far  as  raising  it  is  concerned.  It 
was  possible  to  find  land  suited  to  the  crop  in  alluvial  land  in 
river  bottoms.  This  soil  was  easily  cultivated  with  the  rude 
tools  which  they  devised. 

The  same  fields  were  used  year  after  year.  The  fertility  of 
the  soil  was  maintained  by  fertilizing  with  fish,  or  by  annual 
inundations  of  the  alluvial  plains  which  were  used,  such  as  the 
one  at  Utica  in  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  River  or  the  one  in  the 
valley  of  the  Rock  River. 


100  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"The  Indians  for  the  most  part,  cultivate  some  maize,  and 
are  great  reverers  of  this  useful  grain.  As  soon  as  the  first  ripe 
ears  of  maize  are  brought  to  the  chief  he  institutes  a  grand 
feast  where  music  and  dance  delight  the  company,  and  where 
the  pipe  of  peace  is  industriously  smoked.  The  benefits  of  maize 
to  the  white  settlers  are  manifold.  As  soon  as  the  ears  have 
attained  some  maturity  it  furnishes  a  good  healthy  food.  The 
ears  are  either  boiled  in  water,  or  roasted  by  the  fire.  From 
its  meal  bread  is  prepared,  and  they  make  a  porridge  from  it 
which,  with  milk,  is  an  excellent  dish.  Besides  this  it  is  fed  to 
all  cattle,  especially  horses  and  pigs.  Even  its  dry  stalks  are 
carefully  preserved  in  stacks,  to  serve  as  fodder  for  horses 
and  cattle  during  the  winter."  Ferdinand  Ernst,  September 
25,  1919. 

The  following  account  of  corn  is  taken  from  the  Journal  of 
the  Illinois  State  Historical  Society  for  January,  1919.  It  pre- 
sents an  excellent  account  of  this  grain  which  is  a  wonderful 
crop. 

The  flowering  of  the  corn  and  the  shooting  of  the  ears  is 
one  of  the  marvels  of  nature.  As  we  gaze,  we  see  .the  hand  of 
the  Creator  performing  anew  the  miracle  of  feeding  thousands 
with  less  than  five  loaves  and  two  fishes.  We  see  the  abode  of 
the  clods  of  the  valley  made  into  the  House  of  Bread ;  abundance 
comes  to  take  the  place  of  want;  wealth  and  opulence  fill  the 
room  of  pinching  poverty.  We  should  marvel  not  then,  that 
the  red  man  danced  for  joy  when  the  green  corn  was  fit  for 
food.  That  the  corn  dance  was  expressive  of  his  thankfulness 
to  the  great  Spirit  for  his  bounteous  blessings.  We  should  mar- 
vel indeed  if  civilized  man  did  not  thank  God  also  for  his  bounty 
for  the  same  cause.  Look  on  the  waving,  ripening  field,  when 
the  maple  and  oak  leaves  are  turning  red.  Its  tasseled  plumes 
are  waving  jauntily  the  ensign  of  victory.  Watch  the  bended 
caskets,  bursting  with  golden  fatness.  The  fulfilment  of  prom- 
ise, the  reward  of  faith  and  intelligent  effort. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  101 

The  Genesis  of  the  corn  plant  is  shrouded  in  the  mystery 
of  creation.  It  was  called  Indian  corn  probably  by  common 
consent  and  usage  by  the  first  white  man  who  came  in  contact 
with  it  for  the  same  reason  that  the  Aborigines  of  this  country 
were  called  Indians.  Columbus  started  on  his  great  western 
voyage  with  the  purpose  of  sailing  to  India  and  having  sailed 
till  he  reached  the  shore,  he  naturally  imagined  he  had  found 
India  and  called  the  wondering  natives  that  he  met,  Indians 
and  as  they  were  the  primitive  farmers  who  were  then  raising 
corn,  he  naturally  named  it  Indian  corn. 

While  the  origin  of  the  plant  is  surrounded  by  mystery,  its 
actual  existence  as  a  food  plant,  is  well  authenticated  by  the 
records  of  the  world,  extending  over  many  centuries.  At  the 
time  of  the  discovery  of  America,  its  cultivation  as  a  domestic 
cereal,  was  extensive  over  the  whole  western  continent.  It  was 
among  the  first  objects  that  attracted  the  attention  of  those  who 
landed  upon  our  shores.  In  A.  D.  1002,  it  is  recorded  that  Thor- 
wald,  brother  of  Lief,  saw  wooden  cribs  for  corn  upon  the  Min- 
gen  Island,  and  Karsefn  in  1006  and  Thorwald  also  saw  and 
brought  aboard  their  ship,  ears  of  corn  from  the  portion  of 
land  that  is  now  called  Massachusetts.  Columbus  found  it  cul- 
tivated extensively  in  Hayti  on  his  first  western  voyage  in  1492. 
In  1498  reported  his  brother  having  passed  through  eighteen 
miles  of  cornfields  on  the  Isthmus.  Magellan  was  able  to  sup- 
ply his  ships  with  corn  from  Rio  Janeiro  in  1520  and  after  that 
American  explorers  mentioned  this  corn  from  Columbus'  time 
to  that  of  the  arrival  of  the  French  at  Montreal  in  1535.  De 
Soto  landed  in  Florida  in  1593  and  speaks  of  fields  of  corn,  beans 
and  pumpkins  that  they  found  there  in  great  abundance.  In 
1605,  Champlain  found  fields  of  corn  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ken- 
nebec River  and  Hudson  in  1609  saw  a  great  quantity  of  maize 
along  the  river  now  known  as  the  Hudson. 

Captain  Miles  Standish  relates  that  when  the  Puritans 
landed  at  Plymouth  Rock  in  1620,  they  found  about  five  hun- 


102  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

dred  acres  of  ground  that  showed  the  evidence  of  a  former  corn 
crop  and  that  later  they  discovered  a  cache  where  the  crop  was 
stored.  It  was  this  maize  that  carried  the  colony  safely  through 
the  first  long  and  dreary  winter  and  when  spring  came,  they 
began  to  plant  the  new  plant  themselves.  "We  set  the  last 
spring  some  twenty  acres  of  Indian  corne  and  sowed  some  six 
acres  of  barley  and  peas;  our  corne  would  prove  well  and  God 
be  praised,  we  had  a  good  increase."  We  will  note  that  Miles 
did  not  send  the  good  John  Alden,  to  plant  this  field  or  deputize 
him  to  write  the  report  of  it  All  of  which  proves  that  Miles 
Standish  was  a  better  and  more  efficient  officer  in  the  commis- 
sary department  than  he  was  a  lover.  The  Indians  at  that  time 
knew  the  value  of  applying  fertilizers  to  their  fields.  In  Mex- 
ico, they  used  ashes  for  this  purpose ;  the  Peruvians  used  bird 
guano,  gathered  from  the  small  islands  off  the  coast  and  went 
so  far  as  to  protect  the  bird  and  assure  the  supply,  by  putting 
to  death  anyone  who  disturbed  them  during  their  nesting  sea- 
son. The  North  American  Indian,  used  dead  fish  as  a  fertilizer; 
the  Plymouth  colonist  were  taught  by  the  Indians:  "Both  ye 
manner  how  to  set  your  corne  and  after  how  to  dress  and  tend 
it,  and  were  also  told,  except  they  gather  fish  and  set  with  ye 
corne  in  old  grounds,  it  would  come  to  nothing."  This  makes 
plain  to  us  how  hard  it  is  now  to  raise  a  corn  crop  in  classic  old 
New  England,  compared  with  the  fat  fields  of  Illinois. 

The  point  of  origin  of  this  plant  is  left  practically  to  an  un- 
aided guess  by  the  botanists  based  upon  the  characteristics  of 
it  and  its  apparent  development.  There  is  no  doubt  that  Indian 
corn  originated  in  America.  At  the  discovery  of  the  western 
hemisphere;  it  had  been  in  cultivation  so  long,  that  many  of 
its  forms,  had  reached  nearly  the  perfection  they  have  today. 
There  is  the  same  difficulty  in  positively  identifying  its  pro- 
genitor as  in  the  case  of  many  prehistoric  vegetables  now  culti- 
vated for  food  by  men.    It  probably  originated  in  Paraguay,  or 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  103 

on  the  upper  plateau  of  Mexico  and  subsequently  developed  into 
its  present  form  and  productive  usefulness. 

Corn  is  so  essential  to  the  life  and  welfare  of  the  native 
tribes  of  North  America,  that  it  has  formed  the  basis  of  their 
religion;  the  subject  of  their  songs,  and  the  object  of  their 
prayers  to  deity.  From  Journal  of  Illinois  State  Historical  Soc- 
iety, January  1919. 

The  Red  Man  manufactured  articles  for  domestic  use  and 
for  commerce  (barter).  The  calumet  or  peace  pipe  was  per- 
fected in  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs;  arrow  heads  were  imported 
from  other  regions  when  material  was  not  at  hand;  weapons 
of  war  and  chase  were  traded  as  occasion  demanded  or  as 
opportunities  offered.  The  tribes  were  sufficient  unto  them- 
selves if  necessity  demanded  it  for  they  could  produce  all  that 
was  required  for  their  simple  mode  of  life.  Yet  they  were  quick 
to  take  up  new  things  when  they  were  obtainable. 

While  the  bow  and  arrow  are  inferior  to  the  rifle,  in  hunting 
it  possesses  the  great  virtue  of  silence.  Among  many  tribes, 
arrow  making  was  a  trade,  or  profession,  the  manufacturer  be- 
ing able  to  barter  his  goods  for  all  that  he  needed  for  food, 
clothing,  and  luxuries.  They  used  flint  in  Will  County.  Tumuli 
of  the  Aborigines  produce  arrow-heads  of  other  materials  but 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  these  were  brought  or  that  the 
material  was  imported.  One  acre  on  East  Washington  Street, 
Joliet,  on  a  point  of  the  bluff  south  of  Hickory  Creek  produced 
a  cigar-box  full  of  arrowheads  after  one  ploughing  in  the 
spring,  after  it  had  been  under  cultivation  fifty  years.  Did  the 
arrow-maker  have  a  factory  on  this  hill? 

The  American  Indian  as  a  manufacturer  excelled  in  many 
things  perhaps.  But  the  outstanding  accomplishment  is  the 
manufacture  of  arrow  heads.  Many  accounts  have  been  given 
to  show  how  it  was  done.  The  favorite  is  that  it  was  done  by 
a  chipping  process  under  a  drill  of  some  kind.    Just  what  the 


104  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

drill  was  nobody  seems  to  know.  Sometimes  it  is  called  the 
flaking  process  but  what  this  means  is  not  clear. 

The  process  not  spoken  of  in  books  but  the  one  which  seems 
to  be  the  most  nearly  correct  is  that  the  flint  was  baked  in  oil 
to  soften  it.  While  in  this  condition  it  was  easily  worked  with 
such  tools  as  the  workman  had  at  his  command.  After  it  had 
been  worked  in  this  soft  state  it  was  exposed  again  to  the  air 
when  occidation  took  place  and  changed  it  back  to  its  original 
hardness.  Fire  pots  have  been  discovered  which  indicate  that 
something  of  this  kind  was  known  and  that  this  process  was 
used  in  making  the  arrow  heads,  spear  heads,  knives,  and  etc. 
Within  six  months,  that  is,  during  the  year  1927-1928,  an  Indian 
chief  from  the  Northwest,  an  educated  man,  and  one  who  is 
worldly  wise,  was  asked  to  explain  the  process  of  manufacture 
of  arrow  heads  and  spear  heads.  He  said,  "The  making  of 
arrow  heads  is  a  lost  art.  My  judgment  is  that  it  was  done  by 
a  process  of  heating  in  oil.  Just  what  the  oil  was  or  what  the 
process  was,  I  do  not  know.  Other  Indians  who  have  given  it 
thought  confirm  my  opinion." 

A  hunter  could  shoot  an  arrow  through  the  body  of  a  buffalo. 
Such  a  weapon  was  formidable  in  battle  as  well  as  in  the  chase. 
The  writer  has  seen  Ute  lads  who  had  no  trouble  in  shooting 
rabbits  on  the  run.  The  western  Jack  is  not  a  slow  mover.  The 
Indians  resident  in  Will  County  were  equally  expert  in  manu- 
facturing and  hunting. 

Arrow-maker — From  Hiawatha. 

Only  once  his  pace  he  slackened, 
Only  once  he  paused  or  halted, 
Paused  to  purchase  heads  of  arrows 
Of  the  ancient  arrow-maker 
In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 
Where  the  Tales  of  Minnehaha 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  105 

Flash  and  gleam  among  the  oak  trees, 
Laugh  and  leap  into  the  valley. 

There  the  ancient  Arrow-maker 
Made  his  arrow-heads  of  sandstone, 
Arrow-heads  of  chalcedony, 
Arrow-heads  of  flint  and  jasper, 
Smoothed  and  sharpened  at  the  edges, 
Hard  and  polished,  keen  and  costly. 

Wampum  was  the  money  of  the  Indians  before  they  came 
in  contact  with  the  whites.  Indeed,  it  prevailed  long  after  the 
Europeans  began  to  trade  with  the  Natives  because  he  was 
cautious,  and  shunned  new  things,  excepting  whiskey  (fire- 
water). Wampum  had  but  little  intrinsic  value  and  yet  there 
was  a  real  worth  because  it  represented  much  labor.  It  was  no 
easy  task  to  make  it  with  the  crude  tools  of  the  Indian.  Drill- 
ing was  the  most  difficult  because  the  shells  approached  the 
hardness  of  his  drills.  Much  of  this  Indian  money  was  used  in 
Will  County  as  well  as  in  Illinois  and  the  Nation.  In  1821,  the 
American  Fur  Company  began  to  operate  in  Illinois.  In  that 
year  wampum  was  valued  at  $5.50  per  thousand  beads.  Since 
the  dollar  exceeded  the  value  of  the  dollar  of  1928  manyfold, 
one  must  not  be  misled.  It  would  not  be  amiss  to  say  that  $100 
per  thousand  would  be  correct  for  today.  That  year  the  Com- 
pany sent  2  D  100  pieces  to  Chicago  to  be  used  in  buying  furs. 
Five  dozen  scalping  knives  were  valued  at  $1.20  per  dozen. 
Duck  shot  was  sold  at  20  cents  a  pound. 

The  Indian  understood  barter  better  than  trading  for  cash. 
He  would  think  of  values  in  terms  of  furs,  or  wampum  and  then 
compare  with  the  denominations  used  by  white  men. 

The  art  of  pottery  was  known  to  all  of  the  tribes  who  lived 
in  Will  County.  It  is  interesting  to  have  this  explanation  of 
the  discovery  of  this  art.    Basket  weaving  had  been  developed. 


106  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

In  order  to  use  it  for  cooking,  it  was  necessary  to  protect  it  from 
the  fire  over  which  it  was  placed.  The  Indian  woman  daubed 
the  outside  with  mud  made  from  clay.  After  the  fire  had  gone 
out  she  noticed  burned  pieces  which  had  hardened.  After  many 
such  experiences,  and  it  is  easy  to  imagine  that  once,  when  the 
mixing  was  thorough  and  the  composition  of  clay  and  water 
was  just  right,  such  a  covering  may  have  come  off  without 
breaking. 

Behold  a  bowl,  hard,  impervious  to  water,  and  able  to  resist 
fire.  From  this  it  was  easy  to  proceed  to  more  elaborate  forms 
and  with  the  artistic  taste,  to  ornamentation. 

"Among  the  most  characteristic  specimens  of  ancient  Amer- 
ican pottery  are  the  pipes.  Some  of  these  are  simple  bowls, 
smaller  indeed,  but  otherwise  not  unlike  a  common  every-day 
pipe,  from  which  they  differ  in  having  generally  no  stem,  the 
mouth  having  apparently  been  applied  direct  to  the  bowl.  Many 
are  highly  ornamented,  others  are  spirited  representations  of 
monsters  or  of  animals,  such  as  the  beaver,  otter,  wild  cat,  elk, 
bear,  wolf,  panther,  raccoon,  opossum,  squirrel,  manatee,  eagle, 
hawk,  heron,  owl,  buzzard,  raven,  swallow,  parroquet,  duck, 
grouse,  and  many  others.  The  most  interesting  of  these,  per- 
haps, is  the  manatee  or  lamantin,  of  which  seven  representa- 
tions have  been  found  in  mounds  of  Ohio.  There  are  no  mere 
rude  sculptures,  about  which  there  might  easily  be  a  mistake 
but  the  truncated  head,  thick  semi-circular  snout,  peculiar  nos- 
trils, turned,  furrowed  upper  lip,  singular  feet  or  fins  and  re- 
markable moustaches,  are  all  distinctly  marked  and  render  the 
recognition  of  the  animal  complete.  This  curious  animal  is 
not  at  present  found  nearer  than  the  coast  of  Florida,  a  thous- 
and miles  away."  (From  "Prehistoric  Times"  by  Sir  John  Lub- 
bock.) 

The  huts  of  the  Mandans  was  circular  in  form  thirty,  forty, 
or  even  sixty  feet  in  diameter,  the  diameter  being  determined 
by  the  length  of  the  timbers  available.    The  earth  was  dug  out 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  107 

to  a  depth  of  two  feet.  When  thrown  out  about  the  pit  it  raised 
the  surface  considerable.  This  was  roofed  over  with  a  frame- 
work of  timbers  over  which  was  placed  a  layer  of  willow  boughs. 
Over  these  was  placed  a  layer  of  earth,  the  dome  being  covered 
with  wet  clay  which  was  quite  impervious  to  water.  Those  who 
have  seen  sod-houses  on  the  western  plains  or  the  adobe  huts 
of  the  southwest  will  readily  understand  this  construction. 
These  houses  were  clean  and  sweet-smelling,  or  foul  and  nasty 
according  to  the  habits  of  the  wives  and  mothers. 

This  description  is  inserted  here  because  it  suggests  the 
plans  for  the  "pits"  on  the  Fisher  site,  in  southern  Will  County, 
excavated  by  Mr.  Langford.    (See  Aborigines). 

The  Walla  Walla  Indians  of  Columbia  made  their  homes  by 
digging  a  hole  eight  or  ten  feet  deep  and  covering  it  over  with 
poles.  Brush  was  put  on  the  poles  and  the  whole  was  covered 
with  a  thick  layer  of  dirt  which  sloped  outward  to  shed  water. 
An  opening  was  left  at  one  side  for  a  door  through  which  they 
descended  on  a  ladder  made  of  a  forked  stick  or  by  notching 
a  pole  if  a  branched  one  could  not  be  found.  Dead  pines  were 
quite  easily  found.  These  could  be  trimmed  so  that  branches 
served  as  steps  to  the  ladder.  Ten  or  dozen  or  more  people  lived 
in  this  hole.  Little  fire  was  needed  for  warmth  and  not  much 
more  for  cooking  because  they  liked  salmon  raw.  This  dwelling 
refuted  the  modern  notions  about  ventilation  for  these  were  a 
vigorous  people. 

Who  shall  say  that  Mr.  Langf  ord's  "pits"  on  the  Fisher  site 
were  not  houses  like  these? 

The  Hodenosote  of  the  Sacs  is  given  here  as  it  is  given  in 
Armstrong's  book  on  the  Black  Hawk  War.  Since  this  tribe 
lived  within  the  bounds  of  Will  County  at  times  and  migrated 
through  on  the  Sauk  (Sac)  Trail  going  east  to  Detroit  and  re- 
turning, each  year,  it  is  directly  related  to  our  history:  "Sau- 
kenuk  was  not  a  mere  aggregation  of  wigwams  and  tepees,  but 
a  permanent  Indian  abode,  composed  of  the  large  bark-covered 


108  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

long  houses  known  as  ho-deno-so-tes,  ranging  from  30  to  100 
feet  in  length  and  16  to  40  feet  in  width.  Many  of  them  were 
the  home  of  an  entire  gens,  comprising  the  families  of  the 
grandparents,  children,  and  grandchildren,  their  husbands, 
wives  and  children.  They  were  built  and  constructed  of  poles 
for  framework  and  bark  for  covering.  In  shape  they  resembled 
our  arbors.  Selecting  saplings  of  proper  size  and  length,  they 
felled,  trimmed,  and  sharpened  the  lower  ends  and  sunk  them 
into  the  ground  in  two  straight  rows,  equidistant  apart.  The 
distance  between  these  lines  or  rows  of  poles  were  regulated 
according  to  the  taste  of  the  builders  and  length  of  their  poles. 
The  size  of  the  hodenosote  was  governed  by  the  number  of 
persons  it  was  intended  to  shelter  and  accommodate.  Having 
firmly  imbedded  the  lower  ends  of  these  saplings  or  poles  in 
two  lines  at  interims  of  about  four  feet,  their  tops  were  in- 
clined to  the  center  meeting  and  lapping  at  the  desired  height. 
They  were  securely  lashed  together  with  strips  of  strong,  tough 
bark  or  hickory  withes.  When  this  was  completed,  other  sap- 
lings were  cut  and  split  into  equal  halves  and  laid  transversely 
upon  these  upright  poles,  commencing  near  the  ground  and 
upward  at  about  three  feet  apart,  lashing  them  fast  to  each  in- 
tersection with  throngs  of  deerskin  or  bark  until  the  center  or 
top  was  reached.  This  being  done,  they  had  a  substantial 
framework  upon  which  to  rest  their  bark  casing  or  weather 
boarding.  For  this  purpose  they  obtained  large  blocks  or  bark 
— usually  from  elm  trees,  cutting  it  to  the  proper  length  and 
straightening  the  edges  so  they  should  meet  and  leave  little  or 
no  cracks.  These  pieces  of  bark  were  laid  upon  the  frame  work 
and  securely  bound  to  it  by  cutting  small  holes  in  the  bark  and 
running  throngs  of  buckskin  through  them  and  tying  them 
around  a  perpendicular  or  horizontal  pole  in  the  framework. 
At  both  ends  of  the  framework  poles  were  set  in  the  ground, 
extending  up  to  its  intersection  with  the  end  arch  and  securely 
fastened  thereto,  and  placing  poles  horizontally  thereon  for  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  109 

bark  covering,  leaving  a  doorway  of  about  three  feet  in  width 
in  the  center  at  each  end,  lashing  a  cross-piece  at  a  distance  of 
about  six  feet  above  the  ground  and  covering  the  framework 
of  the  ends  with  bark,  thus  leaving  an  open  doorway  at  each 
end  of  the  hodenosote.  This  was  closed  by  hanging  the  well- 
tanned  skin  of  the  buffalo  from  the  cross-piece  above  and  ex- 
tending to  the  ground." 

This  building  was  occupied  by  an  entire  gens  or  kin  and 
could  accommodate  sixteen  families.  The  fire  served  four  fam- 
ilies thus  conserving  fuel.  Smoke  escaped  through  openings  in 
the  roof.  These  houses  were  fairly  windproof  and  contained 
fires  but  they  were  cold.  Since  the  Indians  migrated  southward 
to  Missouri  for  winter  hunting,  this  was  not  so  bad  because  they 
afforded  sufficient  heat  for  spring,  summer,  and  autumn.  As 
a  rule,  not  all  of  the  compartments  were  occupied,  so  the  extra 
ones  were  used  for  storage  purposes. 

Their  beds  were  spread  upon  elastic  poles  whose  ends  were 
supported  upon  cross-pieces.  Furs  and  peltrees  were  abund- 
ant so  that  the  occupants  were  able  to  rest  with  comfort. 

The  wigwam  was  the  prevailing  type  of  house  with  Indians 
of  the  prairies,  and  was  used  much  in  Will  County  tribes,  at 
Channahon,  Twelve  Mile  Grove  (Wallingford),  and  Plainfield, 
where  they  had  good  sized  towns.  Southern  Will  County  along 
the  Kankakee,  had  the  same  house.  It  was  easily  constructed 
from  material  at  hand,  a  few  poles,  and  skins  which  were  abun- 
dant while  buffalo  were  found.  It  is  interesting  to  know  that 
in  July  1928,  the  same  wigwam  was  used  by  Indians  in  Northern 
Michigan,  using  canvas  in  place  of  skins.  This  was  a  region 
where  lumber  is  cheap  and  other  building  material  is  obtained 
readily.  Yet,  the  Red  Men,  who  were  living  among  the  Whites 
and  were  schooled  in  the  things  which  are  taught  to  our  own 
children,  reverted  to  the  simpler  dwelling. 

The  food  of  the  Red  Man  included  the  products  of  the  hunt 
as  well  as  the  fish  which  abounded  in  lakes  and  streams.    Pol- 


110  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lution  was  unknown  and  the  scattered  population  never  ex- 
hausted the  supply  of  fish.  He  conserved  game  by  moving  to 
new  hunting  grounds  and  by  warfare  which  kept  other  tribes 
out  of  his  area.  Their  crops  of  corn  and  pumpkins  was  supple- 
mented by  wild  fruits  in  season.  Acorns  were  abundant  and 
were  the  principal  food  among  some  western  tribes.  Wild  rice 
was  known  and  used.  Grass-hopper  meal  was  a  nourishing  food 
made  by  drying  the  insects  and  grinding  them  in  a  rude  mortar. 

Boiled  duck  eggs,  about  ready  to  hatch  were  considered  a 
great  delicacy  by  the  Winnebagoes  and  the  Sacs,  and  Foxes. 

Indians  traveled  in  single  file.  This  custom  is  prevalent 
among  those  now  living  on  reservations  in  the  West,  even  those 
who  have  been  quite  thoroughly  trained  in  the  government 
schools.  One  can  easily  see  how  this  would  be  the  mode  of 
travel  because  they  followed  paths  made  by  moving  herds  of 
buffalo,  deer,  and  elk.  A  war  party  of  two  or  three  hundred 
warriors  moving  in  single  file  would  leave  a  well-worn  path 
devoid  of  sod.  Rains  coming  after  such  a  passage  would  wash 
out  a  trench  where  there  was  any  considerable  slope.  Succeed- 
ing showers  would  soon  make  a  gully  which  would  not  make  a 
comfortable  roadway.  The  next  party  which  came  along  would 
follow  parallel  to  this  first  trail  thus  making  a  double  roadway. 

The  routes  of  these  trails  was  always  the  shortest  road  be- 
tween the  ends  of  the  journey.  This  resulted  from  the  use  of 
the  trails  left  by  the  wild  animals.  Instinct  guided  them  in  the 
shortest  route,  swerving  aside  for  major  obstacles,  only. 

The  Sauk  trail  is  one  most  clearly  marked  through  Will 
County.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes  travelled  this  route  in  their  yearly 
journey  from  their  town  on  the  Mississippi  to  Maiden,  Canada, 
whither  they  went  to  get  their  annuities  from  the  English  gov- 
ernment. Men,  women,  and  children  made  the  trip,  taking 
household  outfits  and  wigwams  on  the  pole  drags  fastened  to 
the  backs  of  ponies.  They  left  a  broadroad  well  beaten  by  many 
feet.    This  route  came  in  from  the  west  through  Kendall  Coun- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  111 

ty  reaching  the  Des  Plaines  River  just  below  Joliet  where  shal- 
low waters  made  fording  easy.  After  crossing  the  river,  it 
followed  the  higher  land  along  Hickory  Creek  to  the  present 
Lincoln  Highway.  This  concrete  slab  follows  the  trail  eastward 
along  what  is  now  known  as  Ridgeroad  and  around  Lake 
Michigan  and  then  on  eastward.  The  ridge  (Ridgeroad)  was  & 
buffalo  trail  made  by  the  herds  in  their  migrations,  thus  estab- 
lishing a  hardened  surface  free  from  vegetation  and  affording 
good  going  for  man  on  foot.  Thus  was  established  the  route 
which  is  maintained  by  the  most  highly  developed  road  known 
to  man,  the  concrete  slab. 

Illinois  route  number  22  from  the  Fox  River  Valley  to  the 
Kankakee  follows  quite  closely  the  trail  used  by  the  Indians. 
The  concrete  road  down  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  River  is  an- 
other route  used  by  the  Indians.  Their  trails  became  our  roads 
in  many  places. 

A  recent  bulletin  from  the  American  Geographic  Society 
(1928)  notes  a  remarkable  revolutionary  change  in  the  folk 
customs  of  the  American  Indian,  the  most  striking  in  500  years. 

"Practically  all  of  the  wild  horses  of  the  West  came  from  the 
few  animals  which  escaped  from  the  army  of  Cortez  in  Mexico, 
between  1520  and  1530,  or  from  the  still  fewer  horses  that  De 
Soto's  adventures  left  on  the  west  of  the  Mississippi  in  1542. 
Although  horses  had  lived  in  North  America  in  prehistoric 
times,  as  shown  by  fossil  bones,  none  had  existed  on  the  con- 
tinent for  many  thousands  of  years  when  Europeans  first 
landed. 

"The  Indian  lived  without  the  help  of  domestic  animals  save 
the  dog.  When  he  moved,  he  wTent  on  foot.  As  a  result,  both 
the  hunting  and  agricultural  Indians  lived  in  semi-permanent 
villages;  and  the  hunters  did  not  range  over  a  large  territory. 

"But  when  the  escaped  Spanish  horses  had  multiplied  and 
began  to  appear  in  herds  on  the  western  prairies,  the  Indians 
caught  them,  tamed  them,  and  began  hunting  the  buffalo  from 


112  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

horseback.  Soon  they  adopted  a  roving  life,  following  the  herds 
on  horseback  until  their  winter's  supply  of  meat  was  obtained 
and  cured.  This  movement  over  a  greater  territory  brought 
the  tribes  into  regions  previously  recognized  as  the  abode  of 
other  tribes,  and  war  followed.  The  western  tribes  soon  were 
in  a  continual  state  of  warfare,  for  which  the  horse  was  largely 
responsible. 

"So  rapidly  did  the  herds  of  horses  increase  'mustangs',  they 
came  to  be  called,  that  they  were  in  a  fair  way  to  equal  the 
buffalo  in  numbers.  The  advance  of  civilization  and  the  fencing 
of  the  prairies  put  an  end  to  their  increase,  however,  and  in 
late  decades  they  have  run  wild  in  relatively  few  regions  in  the 
least-settled  parts  of  such  states  as  Nebraska,  Arizona,  Nevada, 
Oregon,  and  Washington. 

"There  is  nothing  more  mysterious  or  more  respected  among 
Indians  than  the  calumet.  Less  honor  is  paid  to  the  crowns  and 
scepters  of  kings  than  the  savages  bestow  upon  this.  It  seems 
to  be  the  God  of  peace  and  of  war,  the  arbiter  of  life  and  of 
death.  It  has  but  to  be  carried  upon  one's  person  and  displayed, 
to  enable  one  to  walk  safely  through  the  midst  of  enemies,  who, 
in  the  hottest  of  the  fight  lay  down  their  arms  when  it  is  shown. 
For  that  reason,  the  Illinois  gave  me  one  to  serve  as  a  safe  guard 
among  all  the  nations  through  whom  I  had  to  pass  during  my 
voyage.  There  is  a  calumet  for  peace  and  one  for  war,  which 
are  distinguished  solely  by  the  color  of  the  feathers  with  which 
they  are  adorned;  red  is  a  sign  of  war.  They  also  use  it  to  put 
an  end  to  their  disputes,  to  strengthen  their  alliances,  and  to 
speak  to  strangers.  It  is  fashioned  from  red  stone,  polished  like 
marble,  and  bored.  The  calumet,  or  pipe  of  peace,  was  a  Pass 
and  Safe  Conduct  among  all  of  the  Indians  of  North  America. 
It  is  a  large  tobacco  pipe  made  of  red,  or  black,  or  white  marble. 
The  stem  was  a  hollow  reed  of  considerable  size,  decorated  with 
feathers  intermingled  with  locks  of  hair  from  the  head  of  a 
woman.    They  were  sure  that  great  misfortune  would  come  to 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  113 

them  if  they  violated  the  public  faith  of  this  emblem.  No  scepter 
of  any  other  people  has  had  such  a  high  respect  over  so  vast  a 
territory.  Joliet  and  Marquette  carried  a  calumet  presented  to 
them  by  Sacs  and  Foxes  in  Wisconsin.  It  functioned  among 
the  so-called  fierce  tribes  along  the  lower  Mississippi  far  re- 
moved from  the  source  and  speaking  a  different  language. 
Would  that  we  had  such  a  symbol  for  the  nations  of  whites  of 
earth ! 

"The  Indians  were  stoics,  trained  to  suppress  their  emotions, 
and  schooled  to  an  extreme  dignity  of  bearing  in  public  life  and 
especially  before  strangers.  At  home  and  at  ease,  they  were 
talkative  and  good-natured  and  fond  of  jokes.  Hunting  and 
fighting  were  strenuous  things  with  them.  Nevertheless  be- 
tween times  the  men  relaxed  and  spent  much  time  in  games, 
such  as  ball,  or  with  quiet  guessing  games,  or  games  of  chance 
similar  to  dice.  The  women  labored  more  steadily  having  much 
drudgery  in  the  regular  routine  of  preparing  skins  for  clothing, 
in  preserving  meats,  in  cultivating  crops  and  gathering  fruits. 
Yet  they  found  much  time  for  gossip.  Newspapers  and  tele- 
phones were  unknown,  but  gossip  carried  far  and  traveled 
swiftly. 

"The  Indian  nature  was  characterized  by  'Hearne  thus/ 
Imperturbility  in  all  situations  is  one  of  the  most  striking  and 
general  traits  of  the  Indian  character.  To  still  his  muscles  to 
resist  the  expression  of  all  emotion,  seems  to  be  the  point  of 
attainment;  and  this  is  particularly  observed  on  public  occa- 
sions. Neither  fear  nor  joy  are  permitted  to  break  this  trained 
equanimity.  Even  among  relations  it  is  not  customary  to  in- 
dulge in  warm  greetings.  The  pride  and  stoicism  of  the  hunter 
forbid  it.  The  pride  of  the  wife,  who  has  been  made  the  crea- 
ture of  rough  endurance,  also  forbids  it." 

Another  remarkable  evidence  is  found  in  the  Algonquin 
language.    Elliott  who  translated  the  Bible  for  them  in  1661, 

8— VOL.  1 


114  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

found  it  necessary  to  coin  a  word  for  "love"  because  their 
language  had  no  word  to  express  it 

Another  writer  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  he  found  the 
Cree  Indians  swearing  in  French  because  their  language  con- 
tained no  oaths. 

The  writer  (editor)  does  not  give  credence  to  this  lack  of 
affection  and  lack  of  emotions.  Stoicism  was  a  fixed  attribute 
but  the  suppression  of  the  emotion  does  not  indicate  its  ab- 
sence. Authentic  instances  are  on  record  where  the  father 
accepted  the  death  penalty  to  redeem  the  son;  others  where  a 
warrior  suffered  death  in  conflict  to  save  the  life  of  his  chum. 
School  craft  records,  as  an  illustration  of  their  affectionate  dis- 
position that  he  "once  saw  a  Fox  Indian  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  near  whose  wigwam  I  had,  unnoticed  by  him,  wan- 
dered, take  up  his  male  infant  in  his  arms,  and  several  times 
kiss  it." 

The  following  account  of  the  reception  of  Father  Marquette 
in  a  village  of  the  Illinois  is  typical :  "At  the  door  of  the  cabin 
in  which  we  were  to  be  received  was  an  old  man,  who  awaited 
us  in  a  rather  surprising  attitude,  which  constitutes  a  part  of 
the  ceremonial  that  they  observe  when  they  receive  strangers. 
This  man  stood  erect,  and  stark  naked,  with  his  hands  extended 
and  lifted  toward  the  sun,  as  if  he  wished  to  protect  himself 
from  its  rays,  which  nevertheless  shone  upon  his  face  through 
his  fingers.  When  we  came  near  him,  he  paid  us  this  compli- 
ment: 'How  beautiful  the  sun  is,  0  Frenchman,  when  thou 
comest  to  visit  us !  All  our  village  awaits  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
enter  all  our  cabins  in  peace/  Having  said  this,  he  made  us 
enter  his  own,  in  which  were  a  crowd  of  people:  they  devoured 
us  with  their  eyes,  but,  nevertheless,  observed  profound  silence. 
We  could,  however,  hear  these  words,  which  were  addressed  to 
us  from  time  to  time  in  a  low  voice :  'How  good  it  is,  my  broth- 
ers, that  you  should  visit  us/  " 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  115 

After  we  had  taken  our  places,  the  usual  civility  of  the  coun- 
try was  paid  to  us,  which  consisted  in  offering  us  the  calumet. 
This  must  not  be  refused,  unless  one  wishes  to  be  considered 
an  enemy,  or  at  least  uncivil;  it  suffices  that  one  makes  a  pre- 
tense of  smoking.  While  all  the  elders  smoked  after  us,  in 
order  to  do  us  honor,  we  received  an  invitation  on  behalf  of  the 
great  captain  of  all  the  Illinois  to  proceed  to  his  village  where 
he  wished  to  hold  a  council  with  us.  We  went  thither  in  a 
large  company,  for  all  these  people,  who  had  never  seen  any 
Frenchmen  among  them,  could  not  cease  looking  at  us.  They 
lay  on  the  grass  along  the  road ;  they  preceded  us,  and  then  re- 
traced their  steps  to  come  and  see  us  again.  All  this  was  done 
noiselessly,  and  with  marks  of  great  respect  for  us. 

When  we  reached  the  village  of  the  great  captain,  we  saw 
him  in  the  entrance  of  his  cabin,  between  two  old  men,  all  three 
erect  and  naked,  and  holding  their  calumet  turned  toward  the 
sun.  He  harangued  us  in  a  few  words,  congratulating  us  upon 
our  arrival.  He  afterward  offered  us  his  calumet,  and  made  us 
smoke  while  we  entered  his  cabin,  where  we  received  all  their 
usual  kind  attentions. 

Seeing  all  assembled  and  silent,  I  spoke  to  them  by  four 
presents  that  I  gave  to  them.  By  the  first,  I  told  them  that 
we  were  journeying  peacefully  to  visit  the  nations  dwelling  on 
the  river  as  far  as  the  sea.  By  the  second,  I  announced  to  them 
that  God,  who  had  created  them,  had  pity  on  them  inasmuch 
as,  after  they  had  so  long  been  ignorant  of  him,  he  wished  to 
make  himself  known  to  all  his  peoples;  that  I  was  sent  by  Him 
for  that  purpose;  and  that  it  was  for  them  to  acknowledge  and 
obey  him.  By  the  third,  I  said  that  the  great  captain  of  the 
French  informed  them  that  he  it  was  who  restored  peace  every- 
where ;  and  that  he  had  subdued  the  Iroquois.  Finally,  by  the 
fourth,  we  begged  them  to  give  us  all  the  information  that  they 
had  about  the  sea,  and  the  nations  through  whom  we  must  pass 
to  reach  it. 


116  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

When  I  had  finished,  the  captain  arose  and  resting  his  hand 
upon  the  head  of  a  little  slave  whom  he  wished  to  give  us,  he 
spoke  thus,  'I  thank  thee,  Black  Gown,  and  thee,  0  Frenchman/ 
addressing  himself  to  Monsieur  Joliet,  'for  having  taken  so 
much  trouble  to  come  to  visit  us.  Never  has  the  earth  been  so 
beautiful,  or  the  sun  so  bright  as  today;  never  has  our  river 
been  so  calm  or  so  clear  of  rocks,  which  your  canoes  have  re- 
moved in  passing;  never  has  our  tobacco  tasted  so  good,  or 
our  corn  appeared  so  fine,  as  we  now  see  them.  Here  is  my  son 
whom  I  give  thee  to  show  thee  my  heart.  I  beg  thee  to  have 
pity  on  me,  and  on  all  my  nation.  It  is  thou  who  knowest  the 
Great  Spirit  who  has  made  us  all.  It  is  thou  who  speakest  to 
him  and  who  hearest  his  word.  Beg  Him  to  give  me  life  and 
health,  and  to  come  and  dwell  with  us,  in  order  to  make  us 
know  him.'  Having  said  this,  he  placed  the  little  slave  near 
us,  and  gave  us  a  second  present,  consisting  of  an  altogether 
mysterious  calumet,  upon  which  they  place  more  value  than 
upon  a  slave.  By  this  gift  he  expressed  to  us  the  esteem  that 
he  had  for  Monsieur  Our  Governor,  from  the  account  which  we 
had  given  of  him;  and  by  a  third,  he  begged  us  on  behalf  of 
all  his  nation  not  to  go  farther,  on  account  of  the  great  dangers 
to  which  we  exposed  ourselves. 

The  council  was  followed  by  a  great  feast,  consisting  of  four 
dishes,  which  had  to  be  partaken  of  in  accordance  with  all  their 
fashions.  The  first  course  was  a  great  wooden  platter  full  of 
sagamite,  that  is  to  say,  meal  of  Indian  corn  boiled  in  water 
and  seasoned  with  fat.  The  master  of  ceremonies  filled  a  spoon 
with  sagamite  three  or  four  times  and  put  it  to  my  mouth  as  if 
I  were  a  little  child.  He  did  the  same  to  Monsieur  Joliet.  As 
a  second  course,  he  caused  a  second  platter  to  be  brought  on 
which  were  three  fish.  He  took  some  pieces  of  them,  removed 
the  bones  therefrom,  and  after  blowing  upon  them,  to  cool  them 
put  them  in  our  mouths  as  one  would  give  food  to  a  bird.  For 
the  third  course,  they  brought  a  large  dog,  that  had  just  been 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  117 

killed;  but,  when  they  learned  that  we  did  not  eat  this  meat 
they  removed  it  from  before  us.  Finally  the  fourth  course  was 
a  piece  of  wild  ox,  the  fattest  morsels  of  which  were  placed  in 
our  mouths. 

After  this  feast,  we  had  to  visit  the  whole  village  which 
consisted  of  fully  300  cabins.  While  we  walked  through  the 
streets  an  orator  continually  harangued  to  oblige  all  the  people 
to  come  to  see  us  without  annoying  us.  Everywhere  we  were 
presented  with  bells,  garters,  and  other  articles  made  of  the 
hair  of  bears  and  cattle,  dyed  red,  yellow,  and  gray."  (From 
The  Jesuit  Relations — Thwaites.) 

The  religion  of  the  Red  Man  was  well  advanced.  It  had 
passed  in  monotheism  of  considerable  spiritual  life.  He  was  in- 
clined to  worship  through  symbols.  "The  Indian  lived  in  a 
world  of  terror,  surrounded,  as  they  imagined  themselves  by 
these  manitous,  and  their  lives  were  struggles  to  appease  the 
manitou  beings  and  to  bribe  or  compel  them  to  give  aid  and 
not  to  harm.  The  Indians  trap  would  not  catch  animals  and 
his  bow  would  not  shoot  trice  unless  he  had  the  good  will  of 
their  manitous;  hence  to  both,  offerings  had  to  be  made,  and 
in  the  same  way  the  wind,  water,  and  all  forces  of  nature  had 
to  be  propitiated.  In  every  project  of  his  life  the  Indian  be- 
lieved himself  watched  and  warned  by  special  protectors,  who 
communicated  with  him  by  means  of  dreams  and  omens  the 
disregard  of  which  was  sure  to  be  attended  with  the  most  dis- 
astrous consequences.  To  this  belief  can  be  attributed  much 
of  the  seemingly  illogical  conduct  of  individuals  and  the  fickle- 
ness and  wavering  purposes  of  tribes.  A  dream,  the  cry  of  a 
bird,  the  unexpected  appearance  of  some  animal,  would  seem  to 
the  Indian  a  direct  revelation  and  order  from  a  supernatural 
power. 

In  the  midst  of  this  world  filled  with  inanimate  objects 
possessed  of  some  magic  power  man  was  helpless  without  the 
support  and  aid  of  some  personal  manitou.    Hence  the  principal 


118  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

spiritual  experience  of  the  Indian  occurred  when  he  won  the 
control  of  some  power  as  a  personal  guide.  At  the  age  of  pub- 
erty, the  boy  withdrew  to  an  isolated  place  and  purified  him- 
self by  vomiting,  bathing,  and  fasting;  he  then  worked  himself 
into  a  trancelike  state  by  dancing  and  often  by  using  drugs, 
until  some  manitou  appeared  and  promised  to  be  his  guardian. 

The  missionaries  attributed  their  success  in  converting  the 
Illinois  to  Christianity  to  the  fact  that  these  prairie  Indians  be- 
lieved in  a  greater  manitou,  identified  by  the  missionaries  as 
the  "Great  Spirit".  Father  Allouez  in  1665  wrote,  "I  have 
learned  that  the  Ilinoulk,  the  Outagami  (Foxes)  and  other  sav- 
ages toward  the  south  hold  that  there  is  a  great  and  excellent 
genius,  master  of  all  the  rest,  who  made  Heaven  and  Earth; 
and  who  dwells,  they  say,  in  the  East  toward  the  country  of 
the  French."  In  such  language  the  Christian  spiritualized  the 
crude  creation  myth  of  the  central  Algonquins;  this  "great  and 
excellent  genius"  of  Allouez  was  simply  their  culture  hero,  the 
fabulous  great  rabbit  who  had  some  association  with  the  sun; 
he  it  was  who  created  by  magic  power  the  earth,  covered  it 
with  game,  and  taught  his  people  various  crafts. .  He  accom- 
plished his  purposes  by  his  magical  powers,  his  trickery,  and 
his  powers  of  deception.  The  explanation  of  the  great  rabbit, 
the  Gitchi  Manitou,  is  to  be  sought  in  the  Indian's  child-like 
fondness  of  explaining  the  origin  of  objects  by  a  myth  rather 
than  a  spiritual  significance."  (From  "Centennial  History  of 
Illinois"  Alvord.) 

The  following  account  from  "The  Black  Hawk  War"  by  Hon. 
Perry  A.  Armstrong,  is  illuminating. 

He  says,  "When  Colonel  Lawrence  came  to  Rock  Island  and 
began  the  erection  of  Fort  Armstrong,  May  12,  1816,  not  only 
the  Sauks,  as  shown  by  Black  Hawk's  statement  in  the  former 
chapter,  but  all  the  Indian  tribes  of  that  vicinity  were  alarmed 
at  the  action  of  our  Government  in  thus  building  a  fort  on  Rock 
Island,  and  were  ready  to  resent  this  action.    The  feeling  of 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  119 

reverence  for  the  Good  Spirit,  which  Black  Hawk  says  inhabited 
the  cave  under  Fort  Armstrong,  which  'was  white,  with  long 
wings  like  a  swan's  but  ten  times  larger'  extended  alike  to  the 
Foxes,  Pottawattamies  and  Winnebagoes.  Following  the 
ancient  Israelites,  of  whom  these  Indians  were  a  prototype, 
this  cave  was  holy  ground,  whereon  they  dare  not  tread  with 
shodden  feet,  nor  approach  in  unclean  garments.  To  their  un- 
tutored minds  this  Spirit  of  the  Cave  was  more  than  a  mere 
gibbering,  chattering,  sightless  ghost.  It  had  a  real,  corporeal, 
tangible  existence.  Hence,  they  were  very  indignant  at  what 
they  deemed  a  species  of  sacrilege  manifested  by  the  whites  in 
building  their  fort  over  the  cave." 

Among  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  as  well  as  other  tribes  all  food 
was  held  in  common  in  the  gens.  Each  could  use  what  he 
wished  for  his  own  use  and  for  his  family.  However,  he  was 
not  permitted  to  sell  any  part  of  it  or  give  it  to  an  outsider. 
An  exception  was  made  to  strangers.  It  was  considered  a 
crime  to  refuse  food  to  a  stranger. 

James  Adair,  writing  of  the  Indians  of  Will  County  and  the 
Illinois  basin  in  1775,  said,  "They  are  so  hospitable,  kind-hearted 
and  free  that  they  would  share  with  those  of  their  own  tribe 
the  last  part  of  their  own  provisions,  even  to  a  single  ear  of 
corn,  and  to  others,  if  they  called  when  they  were  eating,  for 
they  have  no  stated  meal  time.  An  open,  generous  temper  is 
a  standing  virtue  among  them;  to  be  narrow-hearted,  especial- 
ly to  those  in  want,  or  to  any  of  their  family,  is  accounted  a 
great  crime,  and  to  reflect  scandal  on  the  rest  of  the  tribe." 

"A  sauk,  when  traveling  in  his  own  country,  if  but  to  an- 
other village  than  his  own,  inquired  for  a  hodenosote  of  his 
own  gens.  If  he  did  not  find  it,  he  inquired  for  one  of  his  own 
gentes  or  phratry,  and  finding  it  he  was  kindly  received,  though 
he  had  never  seen  a  single  member  of  the  household.  He  was 
welcome  to  all  he  needed  in  the  way  of  refreshments  and  rest. 
"They  had  their  State  House  of  Sanedrian,  corresponding  with 


120  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  Jewish  Sanhedrin,  where  the  head  men  and  chiefs  convened 
to  consider  public  affairs,  and  where,  at  other  times,  the  people 
met  to  sing,  dance,  feast  and  rejoice  in  the  Presence  of  the  Good 
Spirit.  If  a  stranger  called  there,  he  received  a  hearty  wel- 
come and  kind  treatment." 

Accumulation  of  wealth  was  unknown  among  the  Red  Men. 
Their  mode  of  life  did  not  call  for  a  medium  of  exchange  such 
as  we  have  in  our  money.  True,  they  had  wampum  or  shell 
money  but  there  was  little  need  of  it  because  most  exchanges 
were  by  barter.  The  arrow-maker  had  need  of  a  medium  since 
he  could  not  have  used  all  that  came  to  him  by  direct  barter. 
Experts  were  few,  however.  Communism  prevailed  among  all 
of  the  tribes  of  Will  County,  and  food,  clothing,  implements  of 
war  and  chase  were  shared  freely.  Each  warrior  was  able  to 
make  his  own  weapons  and  thus  could  expend  as  much  time 
upon  finish  and  ornament  as  his  inclination  and  skill  permitted. 
In  this  way,  individual  pieces  often  acquired  unusual  value  and 
became  heirlooms.  The  custom  of  burying  the  belongings  with 
the  dead,  prevailed  so  that  the  personal  property  passed  with 
each  death. 

In  the  account  of  the  long  houses,  we  saw  that  each  was 
at  liberty  to  use  any  part  of  the  stores  for  his  individual  needs. 

The  women  (squaws)  were  rarely  the  enslaved  beings 
pictured  in  most  school  histories.  One  must  recall  that  respect 
for  womankind  is  the  surest  and  best  evidence  of  civilization. 
Among  a  barbarous  people  one  would  not  look  for  that  gallant 
consideration  which  we  experience  among  our  own  people  to- 
day. The  women  ruled  the  households  and  woe  unto  him  who 
failed  to  provide.  This  quotation  is  to  the  point  here,  "The  wo- 
men governed  the  hodenosote,  and  while  their  stores  were  in 
common,  each  adult  was  expected  to  contribute  their  labor  and 
skill  towards  keeping  the  hodenosote  in  supply  of  food,  and 
woe  to  the  luckless  husband  or  lover  who  was  too  shiftless  to 
do  his  share  of  the  providing.    No  matter  how  many  children  or 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  121 

whatever  goods  he  might  have  in  the  house,  he  might,  at  any 
time,  be  ordered  to  pick  up  his  blanket  and  budge,  and,  after 
such  orders,  it  would  not  be  healthful  for  him  to  attempt  to 
disobey." 

Rev.  Jesse  Walker  had  charge  of  the  Des  Plaines  Mission  in 
1829,  and  started  the  first  class  at  Walker's  Grove  south  of  the 
present  village  of  Plainfield.  Here  was  an  Indian  village  of  a 
thousand  people  of  the  Pottawatomie  tribe.  These  were  a 
peaceful  people,  kindly  disposed  and  friendly  with  the  whites 
at  all  times.  When  they  were  under  the  influence  of  whiskey 
they  were  apt  to  be  troublesome,  just  as  whites  were  trouble- 
some and  uncertain. 

The  following  quotation  from  a  history  of  Will  County  gives 
an  interesting  account  of  a  custom  of  this  tribe,  "They  set  apart 
a  certain  number  of  their  women  as  council  women  whose  duty 
it  was,  whenever  the  head  men  held  a  council,  to  sit  in  an  inner 
circle,  listen  silently  to  all  that  was  said,  and  record,  in  their 
memories,  the  decisions  arrived  at  by  their  lords.  They  were 
not  allowed  to  speak  in  the  council,  or  to  gossip  about  it  among 
themselves  or  with  others,  and  only  to  speak  when  called  upon 
officially  in  relation  to  any  matter  thus  recorded.  It  is  said 
that  these  women  were  highly  esteemed  by  the  tribe,  and  were 
selected  with  great  care,  a  fact  which  we  can  readily  believe, 
for  they  must  have  been  possessed  of  rare  and  admirable  quali- 
ties." 

A  test  of  character  (religion?)  is  found  in  the  stand  which 
a  person  takes  for  principle,  or  honor.  The  following  illustration 
is  taken  from  Shaubena's  memories.  It  is  an  interesting  account 
of  Indian  honor  and  his  sacred  word :  In  the  spring  of  1833  two 
young  Pottawatomi  Indians,  named  To-qua-mee  and  Co-mee, 
were  indicted  by  the  court  at  Ottawa  for  being  concerned  in  the 
Indian  Creek  massacre.  Sylvia  and  Rachel  Hall,  the  Indian 
captives  who  had  been  carried  away  by  the  Indians  and  after- 
ward released  testified  that  they  knew  these  Indians,  having 


122  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

seen  them  at  their  father's  house  at  different  times,  and  saw 
them  on  the  day  of  the  massacre,  in  company  with  the  murder- 
ers. On  this  testimony  these  Indians  were  arrested  and  bound 
over  to  court,  six  chiefs  belonging  to  different  bands,  among 
whom  was  Shaubena,  giving  bonds  for  their  appearance.  At 
the  appointed  time  the  bondsmen  and  prisoners  were  on  hand, 
but  the  time  of  holding  court  having  been  changed,  they  were 
not  tried.  The  prisoners,  thinking  they  would  not  be  wanted 
at  court,  a  short  time  afterward  went  west  with  their  band. 

George  E.  Walker  being  at  that  time  Sheriff  of  La  Salee 
County,  it  became  his  duty  to  hunt  up  and  bring  back  the 
prisoners.  Walker  was  an  Indian  trader  and  understood  the 
Pottawatomis  language,  was  acquainted  with  the  prisoners, 
and  had  much  influence  with  the  band  to  which  they  belonged. 
Therefore  he  went  alone  in  search  of  the  runaways  and  found 
them  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  far  out  in  the  Indian  coun- 
try. On  arriving  at  their  home  a  council  of  warriors  was  called, 
at  which  they  decided  that  the  accused  should  accompany 
Walker  to  Ottawa,  and  stand  trial  in  accordance  with  the  bonds. 
The  two  Indians  bade  farewell  to  their  friends,  telling  them 
they  would  never  meet  again,  as  they  expected  to  be  executed 
on  their  arrival  in  Ottawa,  and,  to  all  appearances,  were  re- 
conciled to  their  fate.  For  many  days  the  Sheriff  with  his 
prisoners  traveled  together  through  the  Indian  country,  camp- 
ing out  at  night  and  all  sleeping  under  the  same  blanket.  Some- 
times the  Indians  would  go  off  on  a  hunt  to  supply  the  camp 
with  food,  and  could  have  made  their  escape  at  any  time,  but 
they  had  pledged  their  honor  to  accompany  Walker  to  Ottawa, 
and  not  even  the  preservation  of  their  lives  could  induce  them 
to  forfeit  it.  At  all  times  the  Sheriff  was  in  their  power,  and 
it  would  have  been  an  easy  matter  to  have  killed  him  and  re- 
turned to  their  people  without  fear  of  being  sought  after;  but 
such  is  Indian  honor.  On  reaching  Rock  Island  the  Indians 
requested  Walker  to  stay  behind  out  of  their  company,  so  peo- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  123 

pie  would  not  know  that  they  were  under  arrest,  and  in  this  way 
they  passed  through  an  Indian  encampment. 

As  Sheriff  Walker  was  returning  with  his  prisoners  on  the 
old  Sac  and  Fox  trail,  they  were  met  by  Peter  Demot,  an  old 
pioneer  hunter  who  had  been  many  years  among  the  Indians. 
The  party  were  mounted  on  ponies  with  rifles  on  their  shoulders, 
the  Sheriff  leading  the  way  and  the  prisoners  following  after 
in  single  file.  Demot  recognized  To-qua-mee  as  an  old  friend 
with  whom  he  had  hunted  two  years  before,  and  was  pleased 
to  meet  him  again.  To-qua-mee  appeared  dejected  in  spirits, 
telling  his  friend  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  Ottawa  to  die,  say- 
ing he  was  willing  to  be  shot  as  a  brave,  but  disliked  to  be  hung 
by  the  neck  like  a  dog. 

Court  came  on,  the  Indians  were  tried,  and  during  the  trial 
there  was  great  excitement  in  Ottawa  as  the  friends  of  the 
murdered  families  collected  around  the  court  room  with  rifles 
in  their  hands,  threatening  to  shoot  the  prisoners  if  liberated. 
There  was  no  jail  in  Ottawa  at  the  time,  and  the  Sheriff  was 
obliged  to  guard  the  prisoners  with  a  posse  of  men  to  prevent 
them  being  assassinated  by  those  seeking  revenge. 

At  the  trial,  Sheriff  Walker  testified  that  he  never  gave  the 
prisoners  any  encouragement  that  they  would  be  acquitted  and 
their  strict  regard  for  their  honor  in  delivering  themselves  up 
voluntarily  for  trial,  caused  many  to  believe  them  innocent. 

When  the  prisoners  came  into  court,  To-qua-mee's  face  was 
painted  in  such  a  way  that  the  scar  which  formed  an  import- 
ant feature  could  not  be  seen,  and  Co-mee's  phiz  was  in  so  many 
colors  that  the  two  Misses  Hall  could  not  swear  positively  to 
the  identity  of  either  of  them,  consequently  they  were 
acquitted."— From  "Memories  of  Shaubena." 

This  great  chief,  Shaubena,  was  born  in  a  Pottawatomie 
village  in  1775  or  1776,  in  the  southern  part  of  Will  County  on 
the  Kankakee  River,  in  what  is  now  Wesley  Township.  His 
father  was  of  the  Ottawa  tribe  and  came  from  Michigan  in 


124  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1766.  In  infancy,  Shaubena  went  with  his  parents  to  Canada, 
staying  at  an  Indian  village  east  of  Detroit  where  they  lived 
until  he  was  seven  years  of  age  when  they  returned  to  his  na- 
tive village  in  Will  County  and  grew  to  manhood  there. 

He  married  the  daughter  of  a  Pottawatomie  chief  named 
Spotka  who  had  a  village  on  the  Illinois  a  short  distance  above 
the  Fox  River.  Shaubena  succeeded  this  chief  at  his  death  a 
few  years  later.  "Soon  after  Shaubena  became  chief,  the  band 
left  the  Illinois  River  on  account  of  sickness,  and  made  a  new 
home  thirty  miles  north  of  their  old  one  at  a  grove  of  timber 
now  in  De  Kalb  County  where  they  were  found  in  the  early 
settlement  of  the  county.  This  grove,  which  still  bears  the  name 
of  the  chief,  is  a  fine  belt  of  timber  near  the  head  waters  of  the 
Big  Indian  Creek,  and  surrounded  by  high  rolling  prairie.  Here, 
at  this  grove  was  a  good  spring,  a  sugar  camp,  an  excellent 
place  for  cornfields,  the  country  healthy  and  abounding  in  game. 
At  this  grove  the  band  lived  nearly  a  half  century,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  statement  of  their  chief,  they  were  a  happy  people." 

As  a  young  man,  Shaubena  was  employed  as  a  guide  and 
interpreter  for  two  Ottawa  priests  who  were  missionaries.  In 
this  capacity  he  traveled  extensively  over  the  West  and  made 
the  acquaintance  of  many  chiefs,  among  whom  was  Tecumseh. 

In  1810  Tecumseh  appeared  in  the  West  to  form  an  alliance 
for  warring  on  the  frontier  settlements.  He  visited  Black 
Partridge,  Comas,  Senachwine,  and  Coma  all  of  whom  were 
known  to  the  Indians  who  lived  within  the  present  confines  of 
Will  County.  Senachwine's  name  appears  upon  many  deeds 
to  land  because  he  was  the  chief  of  the  tribe  which  held  much 
land  here.    None  of  these  joined  Tecumseh. 

Later  in  the  summer,  Tecumseh  appeared  at  the  Indian  vill- 
age of  Shaubena  while  they  were  playing  ball.  On  the  follow- 
ing day  a  favorite  dog  was  killed  to  make  a  feast  for  the  visit- 
ors. Shaubena  traveled  with  Tecumseh  to  the  Illinois  villages 
and  journeyed  as  far  north  as  Green  Bay  and  Prairie  du  Chien. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  125 

The  following  year  they  went  into  the  southern  states  to  secure 
allies,  reaching  as  far  down  as  the  Gulf  Coast.  Tecumseh  was 
an  orator  who  carried  conviction  when  he  spoke  and  secured 
action  favorable  to  his  plans.  Shaubena  was  influenced  by  him 
and  won  over  to  his  cause.  He  served  with  his  hero,  Tecumseh, 
until  his  death. 

This  was  Shaubena's  last  effort  against  the  whites  for  he 
became  the  friend  and  helper  in  every  opportunity  to  befriend 
them.    He  could  be  relied  upon  in  case  of  trouble. 

In  the  summer  of  1827,  Winnebago  chiefs  came  to  Shau- 
bena's  village  to  get  him  to  join  in  the  war  which  was  impend- 
ing and  which,  later,  was  known  as  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Shau- 
bena and  his  warriors  listened  to  the  speeches  in  favor  of  a 
union.  In  reply,  he  said  "In  my  youthful  days  I  have  seen 
large  herds  of  buffalo  on  these  prairies,  and  elk  were  found  in 
every  grove;  but  they  are  here  no  more,  having  gone  toward 
the  setting  sun.  For  hundreds  of  miles  no  white  men  lived; 
but  now  trading  posts  and  settlers  are  found  here  and  there 
throughout  the  country,  and  in  a  few  years  the  smoke  from 
their  cabins  will  be  seen  to  ascend  from  every  grove,  and  the 
prairies  covered  with  their  cornfields.  Like  elk  and  buffalo, 
the  red  man  must  leave  the  land  of  his  youth,  and  find  a  new 
home  in  the  far  West.  The  armies  of  the  whites  are  without 
number,  like  the  sands  of  the  sea,  and  ruin  will  follow  all  tribes 
that  go  to  war  with  them."  Af ter  these  talks,  all  of  his  warriors 
voted  to  remain  at  peace. 

Soon  after  this  incident  Shaubena  and  one  companion  went 
to  Big  Foot  Lake,  the  home  of  Chief  Big  Foot,  now  Lake  Ge- 
neva, to  consult  with  him.  After  some  heated  discussion,  Shau- 
bena was  taken  prisoner,  bound,  and  confined  to  a  wigwam  un- 
der guard.  A  council  was  called  by  Chief  Big  Foot  who  wished 
to  kill  the  prisoners.  The  warriors  refused  to  concede  to  his 
demand  and  the  prisoner  was  released  with  his  horse  and  all 
of  his  belongings.    He  left  at  once,  but  not  until  a  warrior  cau- 


126  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tioned  him  to  hasten  because  Big  Foot  intended  to  follow  to 
kill  him.  Shaubena  had  a  good  horse  and  managed  to  reach  Chi- 
cago ahead  of  his  pursuer.  From  this  time  on,  he  was  active  for 
the  whites,  informing  them  of  danger  and  directing  their 
escape. 

In  the  summer  of  1833,  the  Fox  River  settlers  were  warned 
by  Shaubena's  son,  Pypegee,  and  his  nephew,  Pyps.  The  set- 
tlers were  panic  stricken  and  left  their  homes  for  Fort  Beggs 
at  Plainfield.  The  following  account  is  taken  from  "Shaubena's 
Memories":  "The  settlers  at  Plainfield  being  so  far  away  from 
other  frontier  settlements,  were  not  notified  by  Shaubena  of  the 
commencement  of  hostilities,  and  were  surprised  when  the  in- 
habitants from  Fox  River  came  fleeing  from  the  dreaded  enemy, 
crying,  Indians!  Indians V  Some  of  the  fugitives  were  in 
wagons;  some  on  horseback,  others  on  foot;  many  of  them  were 
bareheaded  and  barefooted,  having  left  everything  behind  in 
their  flight. 

On  arriving  at  Plainfield  they  concluded  to  build  a  tempo- 
rary fortification  and  remain  here  during  the  war.  The  cabin 
of  Rev.  S.  R.  Beggs  was  selected,  and  around  it  they  erected 
barricades  constructed  of  fence  rails,  logs  from  outbuildings, 
etc.,  and  by  way  of  courtesy,  called  it  Fort  Beggs.  Here  in  this 
temporary  fortification,  without  arms  or  means  of  defense,  the 
settlers  remained  a  number  of  days.  But  when  the  people  of 
Chicago  heard  of  their  exposed  condition  they  raised  a  company 
of  twenty-five  mounted  rangers,  and  thirty  friendly  Indians,  un- 
der the  command  of  Captain  Naper,  and  came  to  their  rescue. 

On  the  following  day  Captain  Naper,  with  his  rangers,  went 
on  a  scout  through  the  Fox  River  settlement  in  search  of  In- 
dians, while  David  Lawton,  with  the  friendly  Indians,  agreed 
to  visit  the  Big  Woods  (now  Aurora)  and  meet  at  the  cabin  of 
George  Hollenback,  where  he  expected  to  meet  Captain  Naper, 
with  the  rangers.  But  instead  of  meeting  friends,  he  found 
himself  surrounded  by  about  a  hundred  hostile  Indians,  who 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  127 

took  him  prisoner,  and  threatened  to  put  him  to  death.  Lawton 
had  been  with  the  Indians  a  number  of  years,  married  a  squaw 
and  by  her  obtained  from  the  Government  a  reservation  of  land 
near  the  present  site  of  Yorkville.  After  a  long  parley,  and 
through  the  intercession  of  his  Indian  friends,  Lawton  was  lib- 
erated, and  as  soon  as  free  he  and  his  companions  put  their 
horses  on  a  gallop  for  Plainfield.  After  stopping  there  a  few 
moments,  they  continued  their  flight  to  Chicago.  Lawton  be- 
lieved that  the  rangers  under  Captain  Naper  were  killed,  as 
they  did  not  meet  him  according  to  agreement.  He  said  the 
country  was  full  of  Indians,  and  the  fort,  in  all  probability, 
would  be  attacked  that  night,  advising  the  settlers  to  leave  it 
immediately  and  flee  to  Chicago.  This  report  of  Lawton  caused 
a  great  panic  among  the  settlers;  some  were  in  favor  of  going 
in  a  body  to  Chicago,  others  thought  best  to  scatter  through 
the  woods,  but  a  majority  decided  to  remain  in  the  fort  and 
defend  it  if  attacked.  Bonfires  were  built  and  kept  burning 
all  night  around  the  fort,  so  that  the  Indians  could  be  seen  if 
they  approached  it.  James  Walker  was  elected  captain  of  the 
party,  and  all  remained  at  their  post  expecting  to  be  attacked 
during  the  night,  but  no  enemy  appeared. 

Two  days  after  this  panic,  Captain  Naper  with  his  company 
of  rangers  returned  to  Fort  Beggs  and  reported  the  Indian 
Creek  massacre,  and  of  the  Indians  burning  houses  and  killing 
stock  all  through  the  settlements.  Under  the  escort  of  the 
rangers,  the  settlers  left  Fort  Beggs  the  next  morning  for 
Chicago  and  reached  their  destination  without  being  molested. 
It  is  said  that  the  Indians  lay  in  ambush  at  the  crossing  of 
Flag  Creek,  but  on  finding  the  settlers  accompanied  by  an 
armed  force,  abandoned  the  intended  attack." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


INDIAN  TREATIES  AFFECTING  LANDS  IN  THE 
PRESENT  WILL  COUNTY. 


PURPOSE  OP  THESE  TREATIES— RIGHTS  OF  THE  INDIAN— KINDS  OF  TREATIES 
—PURCHASE  OF  LANDS— IMPORTANT  TREATIES— AS  AFFECTING  DIFFER- 
ENT TRIBES— TREATIES  AT  PRAIRIE  DU  CHIEN— THE  VILLAGE  OF  CHI- 
CAGO  IN   1833 — "FIRE    WATER"— TREATY   BENEFICIARIES 

Mr.  J.  Seymour  Currey  in  his  recent  history  of  Chicago, 
sets  forth  the  purpose  of  these  treaties  in  the  following  con- 
cise words:  "From  the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of  Greenville  in 
1795,  there  was  a  series  of  Indian  treaties  extending  over  thir- 
ty-eight years,  particularly  affecting  the  region  of  Illinois. 
Some  of  these  treaties  were  merely  declarations,  of  friendship, 
others  provided  for  territorial  cessions,  while  some  renewed 
the  conditions  of  former  treaties  and  included  as  participants 
additional  tribes.  The  provisions  of  these  treaties  were  often 
not  clear  to  the  ignorant  chiefs,  who,  after  the  agreement  was 
made  and  ratified,  would  raise  objections  and  demand  another 
council.  The  Government  would  then  frame  up  a  new  treaty, 
including  the  former  provisions  as  well  as  added  ones,  and 
again  the  chiefs  were  gathered  to  sign  away,  usually  unwit- 
tingly, still  more  of  what  remained  to  them.  The  odds  were 
all  against  them  with  their  unstable  conditions  of  land  tenure, 
their  ignorance  and  barbarity  on  the  one  side,  and  the  keen, 
often  unscrupulous  wits  of  the  Government  agents  on  the  other 
side.  Finally  came  the  Treaty  of  Chicago  in  1833  which  pro- 
vided for  their  removal  to  the  west.    It  was  long  before  the 

128 


PUBLIC   LIBRARY,    JOLIET,    ILL. 


CHAMBER  OP  COMMERCE,  JOLIET,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  129 

significance  of  this  agreement  came  home  to  them,  and  they 
realized  but  slowly  the  seriousness  of  the  Great  Father's  in- 
tention to  send  them  away  from  their  dwellings  to  new  lands." 
(Journal  of  Illinois  State  Historical  Society.) 

Another  writer  has  said  that  divergent  views  must  be  ex- 
pressed regarding  the  rights  of  the  Indians  so  long  as  his- 
torians continue  to  write.  He  said:  "It  is  very  easy  to  espouse 
the  cause  of  the  Indian  as  the  proprietor  of  the  soil,  the  child 
of  the  forest  and  of  the  plains,  cheated  by  dishonest  and  un- 
scrupulous government  agents,  with  the  use  of  whiskey  and  the 
gaudy  and  attractive  wares  and  merchandise  that  resulted  in 
the  United  States  securing  title  to  an  empire  for  a  few  cents 
an  acre. 

"And,  on  the  other  hand,  to  remember  the  Indian  as  the 
vices  of  the  white  man's  civilization  had  made  him,  and  to  then 
conclude,  that,  after  all,  the  requirements  of  civilization  and 
progress — the  survival  of  the  fittest — made  it  a  foregone  con- 
clusion that  he  must  pass  away."  (Frank  R.  Grover — Journal 
of  Illinois  Historical  Society.) 

In  the  history  of  Will  County  we  are  interested  especially 
in  the  treaties  which  made  the  Red  Men  move  on  toward  the 
setting  sun.  The  villages  at  Plainfield,  Channahon,  Twelve 
Mile  Grove  (Wallingford  and  Wilton  Center)  were  important 
settlements  for  the  natives  and  we  have  a  natural  desire  to 
know  what  caused  them  to  be  abandoned.  Hence  we  shall 
give  those  treaties  which  seem  to  bear  on  our  territory.  Trea- 
ties were  of  three  kinds.  First,  to  secure  peace  with  the  In- 
dians; second,  to  secure  peace  between  hostile  tribes  and  third, 
to  secure  cessions  of  land. 

The  Treaty  of  Greenville  in  1795,  did  not  relate  to  territory 
in  Will  County  but  it  started  movements  of  settlers  which  had 
a  bearing  later,  upon  the  early  history. 

The  Treaty  of  1804,  at  Saint  Louis,  was  with  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes  who  were  closely  related  to  Indian  history  in  our  coun- 

9__VOL.  1 


130  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

try.  Black  Hawk  claimed  that  the  chiefs  who  signed  were 
leaders  in  warfare  but  were  not  authorized  to  sign  for  their 
people  at  home.  The  disputes  about  this  were  the  chief  cause 
of  Black  Hawk's  war. 

The  Treaty  of  August  24,  1816,  at  Saint  Louis  was  with  the 
Ottawa,  Chippewas  and  Pottawattomies.  By  it,  these  tribes 
ceded  a  strip  twenty  miles  wide  along  the  Chicago  River,  from 
Lake  Michigan,  southwestward  including  the  Chicago  Portage 
and  thence  along  the  Des  Plaines  River.  This  was  secured  to 
facilitate  the  building  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.  It 
permitted  the  Indians  to  hunt  and  fish  within  the  ceded  terri- 
tory so  long  as  the  land  remained  the  property  of  the  United 
States. 

The  next  treaty  we  note  is  that  of  August  29,  1821,  at  Chi- 
cago. Pottawattomies,  Ottawas,  and  Chippewas  were  present. 
At  this  gathering,  the  Pottawattomie  chief,  Matea,  made  his 
eloquent  address  from  which  many  quotations  have  been  made 
by  writers  on  Indian  history. 

Five  million  acres  were  purchased  for  a  few  hundred  dollars. 

The  next  treaty  was  at  Prairie  du  Chien  on  August  19, 
1825,  with  the  Sioux,  Chippewas,  Sacs  and  Foxes;  Menomines, 
Iowas,  Winnebagoes,  Ottawas,  and  Pottawattomies.  This 
treaty  differed  from  the  usual  ones  because  its  primary  pur- 
pose was  not  to  secure  land  from  the  natives.  The  fifteen  arti- 
cles of  the  treaty  dealt  exclusively  with  fixing  the  boundaries 
and  respective  rights  of  hunting,  provided  for  enduring  peace 
between  the  tribes,  and  removed  all  causes  of  difficulty  by  hav- 
ing the  United  States  settle  everything.  The  tribes  were  sup- 
posed to  acknowledge  the  controlling  power  of  the  United  States 
and  to  give  them  what  they  deemed  proper,  if  any  trouble. 
Since  our  Government  had  done  that  in  all  preceding  difficul- 
ties and  continued  the  policy  as  long  as  there  was  any  Indian 
problem,  the  simple  native  did  not  sign  away  any  privileges. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  131 

Mr.  Schoolcraft,  an  Indian  agent  at  that  time  at  the  Sault 
wrote  an  account  of  this  treaty.  He  said,  "We  finally  left 
Mackinack  for  our  destination  on  the  Mississippi  on  July  1, 
1825.  The  convocation  to  which  we  were  now  proceeding  was 
for  the  purpose  of  settling  internal  disputes  between  the  tribes, 
by  fixing  the  boundaries  to  their  respective  territories,  and 
thus  laying  the  foundation  of  a  lasting  peace  on  the  frontiers. 
And  it  marks  an  era  in  the  policy  of  our  negotiations  with  the 
Indians  which  is  memorable.  No  such  gathering  of  the  tribes 
had  ever  before  occurred,  and  its  results  have  taken  away  the 
necessity  of  any  in  future,  so  far  as  relates  to  the  lines  on  the 
Mississippi  River." 

This  party  reached  Prairie  du  Chien  on  the  21st,  making 
the  journey  in  twenty-one  days.  Since  this  convocation  in- 
cluded tribes  from  far  and  near,  tribes  whose  comings  and 
goings  reached  the  Great  Highway  in  Will  County,  and  helped 
to  make  that  early  history,  quotations  are  given  from  School- 
craft again.  No  other  presentation  could  give  more  of  the 
various  tribes  assembled  and  give  the  character  of  the  people 
who  lived  here  before  the  whites  came.  Truly,  they  were  no 
mean  people. 

"We  found  a  very  large  number  of  the  various  tribes  as- 
sembled. Not  only  the  village,  but  the  entire  banks  of  the 
river  for  miles  above  and  below  the  town,  and  the  island  in  the 
river  was  covered  with  their  tents.  The  Dakotahs,  with  their 
high  pointed  buffalo  skin  tents,  above  the  town,  and  their  dec- 
orations and  implements  of  flags,  feathers,  skins  and  personal 
'braveries/  presented  the  scene  of  a  Bedouin  encampment. 
Some  of  the  chiefs  had  the  skins  of  skunks  tied  to  their  heels, 
to  symbolize  that  they  never  ran,  as  that  animal  is  noted  for 
its  slow  and  self-possessed  movements. 

"Wanita,  the  Yankton  chief,  had  a  most  magnificent  robe 
of  the  buffalo,  curiously  worked  with  dyed  porcupine's  quills 


132  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and  sweet  grass.  A  kind  of  war  flag,  made  of  eagles'  and  vul- 
tures' large  feathers,  presented  quite  a  martial  air.  War  clubs 
and  lances  presented  almost  every  imaginable  device  of  paint; 
but  by  far  the  most  elaborate  thing  was  their  pipes  of  red 
stone,  curiously  carved,  and  having  flat  wooden  handles  of 
some  four  feet  in  length,  ornamented  with  the  scalps  of  the 
red-headed  woodpecker  and  male  duck,  and  tail  feathers  of 
birds  artificially  attached  by  strings  and  quill  work,  so  as  to 
hang  in  the  figure  of  a  quadrant.  But  the  most  elaborately 
wrought  part  of  the  devices  consisted  of  dyed  porcupines'  quills, 
arranged  as  a  kind  of  aboriginal  mosaic. 

"The  Winnebagoes,  who  speak  a  cognate  dialect  of  the  De- 
cotah,  were  encamped  near;  and  resembled  them  in  their  style 
of  lodges,  arts,  and  general  decorations. 

"The  Chippewas  presented  the  more  usually  known  traits, 
manners  and  customs  of  the  great  Algonquin  family — of  whom 
they  are,  indeed,  the  best  representatives.  The  tall  and  war- 
like bands  from  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi — from  La  Point, 
in  Lake  Superior — from  the  valleys  of  the  Chippewa  and  St. 
Croix  rivers  and  the  Rice  Lake  region  of  Lac  du  Flambeau,  and 
of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  were  well  represented. 

"The  cognate  tribe  of  the  Menomonies,  and  of  the  Potta- 
wattomies  and  Ottawas  from  Lake  Michigan,  assimilated  and 
mingled  with  the  Chippewas.  Some  of  the  Iroquois  of  Green 
Bay  were  present. 

"But  no  tribes  attracted  as  intense  a  degree  of  interest  as 
the  Iowas,  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes — tribes  of  radically  diverse 
languages,  yet  united  in  a  league  against  the  Sioux.  These 
tribes  were  encamped  on  the  island,  or  opposite  coast.  They 
came  to  the  treaty  ground,  armed  and  dressed  as  a  war  party. 
They  were  all  armed  with  spears,  clubs,  guns,  and  knives.  Many 
of  the  warriors  had  a  long  tuft  of  red  horse  hair  tied  at  their 
elbows,  and  wore  a  necklage  of  grizzly  bears'  claws.  Their 
head  dress  consisted  of  red  dyed  horse  hair,  tied  in  such  man- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  133 

ner  to  the  scalp  lock  as  to  present  the  shape  of  the  decoration 
of  a  Roman  helmet.  The  rest  of  the  head  was  completely  shaved 
and  painted.  A  long  iron  shod  lance  was  carried  in  the  hand. 
A  species  of  baldric  supported  part  of  their  arms.  The  azian, 
moccasin  and  leggins  constituted  a  part  of  their  dress.  They 
were,  indeed,  nearly  nude,  and  painted.  Often  the  print  of  a 
hand,  in  white  clay,  marked  the  back  or  shoulders.  They  bore 
flags  of  feathers.  They  beat  drums.  They  uttered  yells  at 
definite  points.  They  landed  in  compact  ranks.  They  looked 
the  very  spirit  of  defiance.  Their  leader  stood  as  a  prince,  ma- 
jestic and  frowning.  The  wild,  native  pride  of  man,  in  the 
savage  state,  flushed  by  success  in  war,  and  confident  in  the 
strength  of  his  arm,  was  never  so  fully  depicted  to  my  eyes. 
And  the  forest  tribes  of  the  continent  may  be  challenged  to 
have  ever  presented  a  spectacle  of  bold  daring,  and  martial 
prowess,  equal  to  their  landing. 

"The  martial  bearing,  and  their  high  tone,  and  whole  be- 
havior during  their  stay,  in  and  out  of  council,  was  impressive 
and  demonstrated,  in  an  eminent  degree,  to  what  a  high  pitch 
of  physical  and  moral  courage,  bravery  and  success  in  war 
may  lead  a  savage  people.  Keokuk,  who  led  them,  stood  with 
his  war  lance,  high  crest  of  feathers  and  daring  eye,  like  an- 
other Coriolanus,  and  when  he  spoke  in  council,  and  at  the 
same  time  shook  his  lance  at  his  enemies,  the  Sioux,  it  was  evi- 
dent that  he  wanted  but  an  opportunity  to  make  their  blood 
flow  like  water.  Wapelo,  and  other  chiefs  backed  him,  and 
the  whole  array,  with  their  shaved  heads  and  high  crests  of 
red  horse  hair,  told  the  spectator  plainly  each  of  these  men 
held  his  life  in  his  hand,  and  was  ready  to  spring  to  the  work 
of  slaughter  at  the  cry  of  their  chief." 

Generals  Clark  and  Cass  conducted  the  negotiations.  Day 
after  day  they  discussed  boundaries,  laboring  with  the  chiefs 
and  making  themselves  familiar  with  the  drawings  presented 
by  the  Indians.   The  Red  Men  were  pleased.   The  United  States 


134  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

demanded  no  concessions.  Many  harangues  were  made  by 
chiefs,  men  of  no  mean  ability  as  orators.  Mongazid,  of  Fond 
du  Lac,  said,  "When  I  heard  the  voice  of  my  Great  Father, 
coming  up  the  Mississippi  Valley  calling  me  to  this  treaty,  it 
seemed  as  a  murmuring  wind.  I  got  up  from  my  mat,  where 
I  sat  musing,  and  hastened  to  obey  it.  My  pathway  has  been 
clear  and  bright.  Truly,  it  is  a  pleasant  sky  above  our  heads 
this  day.  There  is  not  a  cloud  to  darken  it.  I  hear  nothing 
but  pleasant  words.  The  raven  is  not  waiting  for  his  prey. 
I  hear  no  eagle  cry,  'Come  let  us  go.  The  feast  is  ready;  the 
Indian  has  killed  his  brother.' "  (From  Journal  of  the  Illinois 
State  Historical  Society — October,  1915.) 

"The  next  treaty  was  at  Prairie  du  Chien  on  July  29,  1829, 
with  the  Pottawattomies,  Chippewas  and  Ottawas.  By  this 
treaty  these  tribes  ceded  a  large  territory  in  Illinois  and  Wis- 
consin, lying  between  Rock  River  and  the  Mississippi,  and  a 
further  tract  of  land  between  Rock  River  and  Lake  Michigan, 
to  the  west  and  north  of  the  cession  of  1816.  On  Lake  Michigan 
it  included  in  width  the  land  now  constituting  the  City  of 
Evanston  and  most  of  the  adjoining  village  of  Wilmette." 

"So  the  treaties  were  executed  at  last,  and  about  eight  mil- 
lion acres  of  land  added  to  our  domain  purchased  from  the 
Indians.  South  of  the  Wisconsin  the  Indians  now  own  only 
reservations  where  they  live,  which,  as  soon  as  the  white  people 
settle  on  all  ceded  lands,  will  be  sold  to  us,  and  the  Indians  will 
retire  above  the  Wisconsin  and  across  the  Mississippi,  where 
the  bear,  the  beaver,  the  deer  and  the  bison  now  invite  them. 
The  United  States  now  owns  all  the  country  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Mississippi  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Wisconsin."  (Journal  of  Illinois  Historical  Society — October, 
1915.) 

The  treaty  at  Prairie  du  Chien  on  July  29,  1829,  concluded 
the  transfer  of  lands  so  far  as  Will  County  is  concerned.  How- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  135 

ever,  the  final  treaty  of  September  26,  1833,  concerns  our  his- 
tory because  thousands  of  Indians  passed  this  way  through 
the  Great  Highway  and  some  of  them  encamped  within  the 
bounds  of  the  county.  It  seems  entirely  fitting  to  include  an 
account  of  it  here. 

Chicago,  in  1833,  was  an  insignificant  frontier  village.  The 
treaty  made  in  this  place  is  a  sad  commentary  on  the  influence 
of  the  white  man  upon  the  Indian.  The  scenes  about  the  village 
were  pathetic,  in  many  cases.  The  quotations  given  here  are 
from  the  account  of  Charles  J.  Latrobe,  an  Englishman  of  learn- 
ing and  a  traveler  and  writer  of  ability.  The  account,  which  is 
abbreviated,  is  taken  from  the  Journal  of  the  Illinois  State 
Historical  Society. 

"A  public  vehicle  conveyed  us  across  the  peninsula  of  Mich- 
igan, over  a  tract  of  country  which  five  or  six  years  ago  had 
been  traversed  by  nothing  but  Indian  trails,  but  which  was  now 
rapidly  filling  with  a  settled  population  from  the  eastward,  and 
all  the  concomitants  of  ploughed  land,  girdled  trees,  log  huts, 
towns,  villages,  and  farms.  Five  thousand  Indians  were  said 
to  be  collected  round  this  upstart  village,  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  treaty,  by  which  they  were  to  cede  their  lands  in  Mich- 
igan and  Illinois. 

"A  preliminary  council  had  been  held  with  the  chiefs  some 
days  before  our  arrival.  The  principal  Commissioner  had 
opened  it,  as  we  learned,  by  stating  that  'as  the  Great  Father 
at  Washington  had  heard  that  they  wished  to  sell  their  land 
he  had  sent  Commissioners  to  treat  with  them/  The  Indians 
answered  promptly  'that  their  Great  Father  at  Washington 
must  have  seen  a  bad  bird,  which  had  told  him  a  lie,  for  that, 
far  from  wishing  to  sell  their  land,  they  wished  to  keep  it.' 
Nothing  daunted,  the  Commissioner  replied  that  they  must 
take  the  matter  into  consideration.  He  explained  to  them  the 
wishes  and  intentions  of  the  Great  Father  and  asked  their 


136  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

opinion.  They  looked  at  the  sky,  saw  a  few  wandering  clouds, 
and  straightway  adjourned  as  the  weather  is  not  clear  enough 
for  so  solemn  a  council. 

"However,  as  the  treaty  had  been  opened,  provision  was 
supplied  to  them  by  regular  rations;  and  the  same  night  they 
had  great  rejoicings,  danced  the  war  dance,  and  kept  the  eyes 
and  ears  of  all  open  by  running  howling  about  the  village." 

The  following  account  of  the  village  of  Chicago  in  1833  and 
the  description  of  the  Indians,  as  given  Latrobe,  is  given  here. 
It  gives  a  word  picture  of  Chicago  as  it  was  when  settlers  began 
to  come  into  Will  County.  Chicago  was  the  trade-center  in 
which  our  first  inhabitants  had  an  interest.  There  they  must 
purchase  their  supplies  and  there  they  must  find  a  market.  The 
description  of  the  Indians  is  of  interest  because  they  were  the 
predecessors  of  the  Whites,  depraved  by  contact  with  whites 
but  still  an  interesting  people.  "Then  for  the  birds  of  passage, 
exclusive  of  the  Pottawattomies,  of  whom  more  anon — and 
emigrants  and  land  speculators  as  numerous  as  the  sand.  You 
will  find  horse-dealers,  and  horse-stealers;  rogues  of  every  de- 
scription, white,  black,  brown,  and  red — half-breeds,  quarter- 
breeds,  and  men  of  no  breed  at  all  dealers  in  pigs,  poultry,  and 
potatoes;  men  pursuing  Indian  claims,  some  for  tracts  of  land, 
others  like  our  friend  Snipe,  for  pigs  which  the  wolves  had 
eaten;  creditors  of  the  tribes,  or  of  particular  Indians,  who 
know  that  they  have  no  chance  of  getting  their  money,  if  they 
do  not  get  it  from  the  Government  agents;  sharpers  of  every 
degree,  peddlars,  grog-sellers;  Indian  agents  and  Indian  traders 
of  every  description,  and  contractors  to  supply  the  Pottawatto- 
mies with  food.  The  little  village  was  in  an  uproar  from  morn- 
ing to  night,  and  from  night  to  morning;  for,  during  the  hours 
of  darkness,  when  the  housed  portion  of  the  population  of  Chi- 
cago strove  to  obtain  repose  in  the  crowded  plank  edifices  of 
the  village,  the  Indians  howled,  sang,  wept,  yelled,  and  whooped 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  137 

in  their  various  encampments,  with  all  this,  the  whites  seemed 
to  me  to  be  more  pagan  than  the  red  men." 

"You  will  have  understood  that  the  large  body  of  Indians, 
collected  in  the  vicinity,  consisted  not  merely  of  chiefs  and 
warriors,  but  that  in  fact  the  greater  part  of  the  whole  tribe 
were  present.  For  where  the  warrior  was  invited  to  feast  at 
the  expense  of  the  Government,  the  squaw  took  care  to  accom- 
pany him;  and  where  the  squaw  went,  the  children  or  papooses, 
the  ponies,  and  the  innumerable  dogs  followed;  and  here  they 
all  were  living  merrily  at  the  cost  of  the  Government." 

"Of  their  dress,  made  up  as  it  is  of  a  thousand  varieties  of 
apparel,  but  little  general  idea  can  be  given.  There  is  nothing 
among  them  that  can  be  called  a  national  costume.  That  has 
apparently  long  been  done  away  with,  or  at  least  so  far  cloaked 
under  their  European  ornaments,  blankets,  and  finery,  as  to 
be  scarcely  distinguishable.  Each  seemed  to  cloth  him  or  her- 
self as  best  suited  their  individual  means  or  taste.  Those  who 
possessed  the  means,  were  generally  attired  in  the  most  fan- 
tastic manner,  and  the  most  gaudy  colours.  A  blanket  and 
breech-cloth  was  possessed  with  a  very  few  exceptions  by  the 
poorest  among  the  males.  Most  added  leggings,  more  or  less 
ornamented,  made  of  blue,  scarlet,  green,  or  brown  broadcloth; 
and  the  surcoats  of  every  colour  and  every  material;  together 
with  rich  sashes,  and  gaudy  shawl  or  handkerchief-turbans." 

"All  these  diverse  articles  of  clothing,  with  the  embroidered 
petticoats  and  shawls  of  the  richer  squaws,  and  the  compli- 
cated head-dress,  were  covered  with  innumerable  trinkets  of 
all  descriptions,  thin  plates  of  silver,  beads,  mirrors  and  em- 
broidery. On  their  faces,  the  black  and  vermillion  paint  was 
disposed  a  thousand  ways,  more  or  less  fanciful  and  horrible. 
Comparatively  speaking,  the  women  were  seldom  seen  gaily 
drest,  and  dandyism  seemed  to  be  more  particularly  the  prerog- 
ative of  the  males,  many  of  whom  spent  hours  at  the  morning 
toilet." 


138  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"Far  and  wide  the  grassy  prairie  teemed  with  figures;  war- 
riors, mounted  or  on  foot,  squaws  and  horses.  Here  a  race 
between  three  or  four  Indian  ponies,  each  carrying  a  double 
rider,  whooping  and  yelling  like  fiends.  There  a  solitary  horse- 
man with  a  long  spear,  turbaned  like  an  Arab,  scouring  along 
at  full  speed;  groups  of  hobbled  horses,  Indian  dogs  and  chil- 
dren; or  a  grave  conclave  of  grey  chiefs  seated  on  the  grass  in 
consultation." 

"It  was  amusing  to  wind  silently  from  group  to  group — 
here  noting  the  raised  knife,  the  sudden  brawl,  quashed  by  the 
good-natured  and  even  playful  interference  of  the  neighbors; 
there  a  party  breaking  up  their  encampment  and  falling,  with 
their  little  train  of  loaded  ponies  and  wolfish  dogs  into  the 
deep,  black  narrow  trail  running  to  the  north.  You  peep  into 
a  wigwam,  and  see  a  domestic  feud;  the  chief  sitting  in  dogged 
silence  on  the  mat,  while  the  women,  of  which  there  were  com- 
monly two  or  three  in  every  dwelling,  and  who  appeared  every 
evening  more  elevated  with  the  fumes  of  whiskey  than  the 
males,  read  him  a  lecture.  From  another  tent  a  constant  voice 
of  wrangling  and  weeping  would  proceed,  when  suddenly  an 
offended  fair  one  would  draw  the  mat  aside,  and,  taking  a 
youth  standing  without  by  the  hand,  lead  him  apart,  and  sitting 
down  on  the  grass,  set  up  the  most  indescribable  whine  as  she 
told  her  grief.  Then  forward  comes  an  Indian,  staggering  with 
his  chum  from  a  debauch;  he  is  met  by  his  squaw,  with  her 
child  dangling  in  a  fold  of  her  blanket  behind,  and  the  sobbing 
and  weeping  which  accompanies  her  whining  appeal  to  him,  as 
she  hangs  to  his  hand,  would  melt  your  heart,  if  you  did  not 
see  that  she  was  quite  as  tipsy  as  himself." 

"Here  sitting  apart  and  solitary,  an  Indian  expends  the 
exuberance  of  his  intoxicated  spirits  in  the  most  ludicrous  sing- 
ing and  gesticulation ;  and  there  squat  a  circle  of  unruly  topers 
indulging  themselves  in  the  most  unphilosophic  and  excessive 
peals  of  laughter." 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  139 

"It  is  a  grievous  thing  that  Government  is  not  strong- 
handed  enough  to  put  a  stop  to  the  shameful  and  scandalous 
sale  of  whiskey  to  these  poor,  miserable  wretches.  But  here 
lie  casks  of  it  for  sale  under  the  very  eye  of  the  Commissioners, 
met  together  for  purposes  which  demand  that  sobriety  should 
be  maintained,  were  it  only  that  no  one  should  be  able  to  lay 
at  their  door  an  accusation  of  unfair  dealing,  and  of  having 
taken  advantage  of  the  helpless  Indian  in  a  bargain,  whereby 
the  people  of  the  United  States  were  to  be  so  greatly  gainers. 
And  such  was  the  state  of  things  day  by  day.  However  anxious 
I  and  others  might  be  to  exculpate  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment from  the  charge  of  cold  and  selfish  policy  toward  the 
remnant  of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  from  that  of  resorting  to 
unworthy  and  diabolical  means  in  attaining  possession  of  their 
lands — as  long  as  it  can  be  said  with  truth  that  drunkenness 
was  not  guarded  against,  and  that  the  means  were  furnished  at 
the  very  time  of  the  treaty,  and  under  the  very  nose  of  the 
Commissioners — how  can  it  be  expected  but  a  stigma  will  at- 
tend every  transaction  of  this  kind?  The  sin  may  lie  at  the 
door  of  the  individuals  more  immediately  in  contract  with 
them ;  but  for  the  character  of  the  people  as  a  nation,  it  should 
be  guarded  against,  beyond  a  possibility  of  transgression.  Who 
will  believe  that  any  act,  however  formally  executed  by  the 
chiefs,  is  valid,  as  long  as  it  is  known  that  whiskey  was  one  of 
the  parties  to  the  treaty?" 

On  the  21st  of  September,  the  Pottawattomies  resolved  to 
meet  the  Commissioners.  Three  or  four  days  later  the  treaty 
was  concluded.  The  Indians  received  as  compensation  for  this 
vast  grant  $100,000.00,  "to  satisfy  sundry  individuals  in  behalf 
of  whom  reservations  were  asked,  which  the  commissioners 
refused  to  grant";  $175,000.00  to  "satisfy  the  claims  made 
against"  the  Indians;  $100,000.00  to  be  paid  in  goods  and  pro- 
visions; $280,000.00  to  be  paid  in  an  annuity  of  $14,000.00  each 
year  for  twenty  years;  $150,000.00  "to  be  applied  to  the  erec- 


140  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tion  of  mills,  farm  houses,  Indian  houses,  blacksmith  shops,  ag- 
ricultural improvements,"  etc.,  and  $70,000.00  "for  purposes  of 
education  and  the  encouragement  of  the  domestic  arts." 

One  remarkable  feature  of  this  treaty  is  the  fact  that  by 
its  provisions  some  five  hundred  to  one  thousand  persons,  most 
of  them  with  no  Indian  blood  in  their  veins,  derived  personal 
gain  from  the  transaction;  the  allowance  and  payment  of  in- 
dividual claims,  ranging  in  amount  from  a  few  dollars  to  many 
thousands,  and  as  already  noted,  about  one-third  of  the  cash 
consideration  was  thus  disbursed.  Among  the  individual  bene- 
ficiaries also  appear  the  following:  Alexander  Robinson,  $10,- 
000.00  cash  and  $300.00  annuity,  "in  addition  to  annuities  al- 
ready granted";  Billy  Caldwell,  $10,000.00  cash  and  $400.00  an- 
nuity, "in  addition  to  annuities  already  granted" ;  John  Kinzie 
Clark,  $400.00;  allowance  to  Antoine  Ouilmette  and  his  family; 
John  K.  Clark's  Indian  children,  $400.00  and  various  allowance 
to  the  Kinzie  family."  (Journal  of  the  Illinois  State  Historical 
Society,  October,  1925.) 

The  accounts  of  treaties  given  above  brings  us  down  to  1833 
when  settlers  began  to  come  into  Will  County  territory.  The 
coming  of  the  settlers  will  be  given  in  another  place. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  PRAIRIES  AND  FORESTS. 


SETTLERS  FROM  THE  EAST  AND  EUROPE  FASCINATED  BY  THE  PRAIRIES— 
FERDIN  AND  ERNST  WRITE  OF  THE  PRAIRIES — WASHINGTON  IRVING'S 
"TOUR  OF  THE  PRAIRIES"— MRS.  STEELE— VEGETATION— ANIMAL  AND 
BIRD  LIFE— THE  BUFFALO— THE  TRADE  IN  BUFFALO  ROBES— DEER — 
RATTLESNAKES— WILD    EGGS 

Settlers  from  Europe  were  fascinated  by  the  prairies  of 
Will  County.  The  virgin  soil  showed  a  fertility  unknown  to 
them.  They  were  accustomed  to  the  soil  which  had  been  tilled 
for  ages.  Eastern  people,  from  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  England  were  enthusiastic  about  the  prairies  because  no 
trees  were  to  be  removed  and  no  rocks  were  to  be  stumbled 
over  by  man  and  beast. 

In  1823,  Ferdin  and  Ernst  of  Hildesheim,  Germany,  wrote 
about  the  prairies.  He  traveled  over  Illinois  on  horse-back  and 
crossed  the  southern  part  of  what  is  now  included  in  Illinois, 
hence  his  reports  are  interesting.  He  said  that  flies  were  ex- 
ceedingly troublesome  to  travelers  on  horse-back  in  July, 
August,  and  September.  He  asserts  that  horses  were  some- 
times killed  by  these  pests.  Two  kinds  were  mentioned,  the 
little  green-head  horse  fly  and  the  large  black  fly.  The  green- 
head  attacked  the  front  part  of  the  neck  where  it  was  difficult 
to  dislodge  them.  They  sucked  the  blood  of  the  animal  and 
were  most  painful.  Because  of  these  pests,  much  traveling  was 
done  after  sundown.    Mosquitoes  troubled  man  and  beast  and 

141 


142  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

since  the  latter  worked  most  in  the  twlight  such  journeys  were 
not  very  pleasant. 

The  wild-flowers  were  most  beautiful  at  all  seasons.  No  bet- 
ter account  can  be  written  than  that  of  Washington  Irving,  so 
it  is  reproduced  here. 

Washington  Irving  in  his  "Tour  of  the  Prairies",  published 
in  1835  says,  "I  should  despair  of  being  able  to  convey  any  idea 
to  your  mind  of  the  glories  of  the  autumnal  flora,  covering  these 
immense  natural  meadows,  like  a  rich  carpet.  God  has  here, 
with  prodigal  hand,  scattered  the  seeds  of  thousands  of  beauti- 
ful plants,  each  suited  to  its  season,  where  there  are  no  hands  to 
pluck  and  few  eyes  to  admire.  After  the  early  grass  of  the 
spring  begins  to  shoot  up  through  the  blackened  surface  of 
the  scorched  soil,  it  becomes  spangled  with  a  host  of  flowers 
the  prevailing  color  of  which  are  white  and  blue.  These,  as  sum- 
mer advances  give  place  to  a  race  in  which  red  predominates 
and,  when  the  yellow  suns  of  autumn  incline  over  the  West, 
their  mild  rays  are  greeted  by  the  appearance  of  millions  of 
yellow  flowers  which,  far  statelier  and  of  ranker  growth  than 
their  predecessors,  rise  over  their  ruins  and  seem  to  clothe  the 
undulating  surface  of  the  prairie  with  a  cloth  of- gold.  The 
great  predominance  of  the  Heliotrope  and  Solidago  species  gives 
this  tint  to  the  landscape;  at  the  same  time  there  are  many 
showy  and  beautiful  plants,  products  of  the  same  season,  of 
less  glaring  colors.  Such  are  the  Asters,  from  the  large  and 
beautiful  species,  which  displays  its  clusters  of  blue  and  purple 
flowers  in  the  brake,  to  the  small,  delicately  leaved  varieties 
seen  in  the  more  open  grounds.  You  observe  whole  districts 
covered  with  the  tall  and  striking  flowers  of  the  tall  Eupato- 
rium  and  everywhere  among  the  long  grass,  the  Liatries  or  rat- 
tle snake's  master,  shoots  up  and  displays  its  spike  of  red 
flowers.  Then  there  are  the  exquisite  varieties  of  Gentiana, 
with  their  deep  blue,  and  a  thousand  other  flowers  which  I  can- 
not undertake  to  describe.    At  this  season  the  dwarf  sumac,  in 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  143 

hollows  and  on  such  parts  of  the  prairie  as  have  remained  un- 
touched by  the  autumnal  fires,  becomes  a  striking  feature  of 
the  open  ground  from  the  blood  red  hue  of  its  leaves  and  f Rati- 
fication. 

Mrs.  Steel  (1840),  "A  Summer  Journey  in  the  West"  wrote 
thus, — *  *  *  I  started  with  delight  (she  writes).  I  was 
in  the  midst  of  prairie.  A  world  of  grass  and  flowers  stretched 
around  me,  rising  and  falling  in  gentle  undulations.  *  *  * 
Acres  of  wild  flowers  of  every  hue  glowed  around  me  *  *  * 
what  a  new  and  wondrous  world  of  beauty!  *  *  *  More 
glorious  ranks  of  flowers.  *  *  *  Imagine  yourself  in  the 
center  of  an  immense  circle  of  velvet  herbage,  the  sky  for  its 
boundary  on  every  side ;  the  whole  clothed  with  a  radiant  efflor- 
escence of  every  brilliant  hue.  We  rode  thus  through  a  per- 
fect wilderness  of  sweets,  sending  forth  perfume,  and  animated 
with  myriads  of  glittering  birds  and  butterflies.  *  *  *  It 
was,  in  fact  a  vast  garden.  *  *  *  You  will  scarcely  credit 
the  profusion  of  flowers  upon  these  prairies.  We  passed  whole 
acres  of  blossoms  all  having  one  hue,  as  purple,  perhaps,  or 
masses  of  yellow  and  rose;  and  then  again  a  carpet  of  every 
color  inter-mixed.  *  *  *  When  the  sun  flooded  this  mosiac 
floor  with  light  and  the  summer  breezes  stirred  among  the 
leaves,  the  irridescent  glow  was  beautiful  and  wondrous  beyond 
anything  I  have  every  conceived. 

"It  was  thus  that  the  prairie  looked  to  the  pioneers  and  to 
the  visitors  who  came  to  Illinois  in  the  early  part  of  the  19th 
century.  Since  that  day  the  plow  has  turned  many  a  furrow. 
Scarcely  a  foot  of  unreclaimed  prairie  can  be  found." 

The  animal  and  bird  life  were  equally  abundant  and  inter- 
esting. Some  wild  life  remains  among  the  animals  such  as 
tent-pin  gopher  (striped  gopher)  cotton-tail  rabbits,  snakes  of 
the  harmless  or  beneficial  kind,  and  field  mice  of  several  kinds. 
Birds  abound  but  not  in  the  great  variety  which  prevailed  one 
hundred  years  ago.    Migratory  birds  came  in  at  the  junction 


144  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers  and  traveled  northward.  As 
they  moved  they  swerved  to  the  right,  following  the  Illinois 
River  up-stream  and  came  to  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan 
through  the  "Great  Highway",  the  Des  Plaines  valley.  Most 
of  them  rested  by  night.  Such  a  roost  was  in  the  dell  of  Dell- 
wood  Park.  One  can  scarcely  imagine  this  but  previous  to  the 
desecration  of  this  dell,  it  contained  trees  and  undergrowth 
which  afforded  roosts  sheltered  from  the  wind  as  well  as  wild 
beasts.  The  travelers  came  from  their  last  stop  in  Kentucky 
where  they  had  breakfasted.  Thus  it  was  that  the  dell  showed 
a  flora  much  richer  in  variety  and  more  beautiful  in  color  than 
any  other  region  of  Northern  Illinois. 

The  following  lists  of  birds  and  animals  are  given  to  show 
the  abundance  of  wild  life  rather  than  as  a  complete  list  for 
scientists.  The  lists  are  correct,  however,  even  though  they 
may  not  be  complete. 

In  forest  areas  were,  Golden  Eagle,  Bald-headed  Eagle, 
brown-tailed  hawk,  screech  owl,  barred  owl,  barn  owl,  great 
blue  heron,  night  heron,  ruffed  grouse,  American  egret,  warb- 
lers, woodpeckers,  wild  turkeys,  buzzards  commonly  known  as 
"stink  turkeys",  and  crows.  Most  of  these  journey  far  in  search 
of  food  and  hence  were  to  be  seen  on  the  prairies. 

On  the  edge  of  the  forests  were,  Baltimore  Oriole,  warbling 
vireo,  red-eyed  vireo,  brown  thrasher,  Bell's  vireo  (bell  bird), 
tanager,  bluejay,  yellow  breasted  chat,  and  whip-poor-will. 

On  the  prairie  were  field  sparrow,  night-hawk,  wood-duck, 
chewink,  bob- white,  dick  cissel,  prairie  lark,  meadow  lark,  swal- 
low-tailed kite,  raven,  plover,  sand-hill  crane,  swans  in  migra- 
tion, prairie  hen,  and  kill-deer. 

In  marshes,  ponds,  and  along  streams  were,  Mallard  ducks, 
blue-winged  teal,  green-winged  teal,  Canada  goose,  brant,  snipe, 
sand-hill  crane,  and  king-fisher. 

Along  cliffs  were,  Barn-swallow,  cliff  swallow,  bank  swal- 
low. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  145 

Permanent  residents  in  Will  County  then  and  now, — Crow, 
blue-jay,  red-tailed  hawk,  screech  owl,  quail,  cardinal,  barred 
owl,  downy  wood-pecker,  hairy  woodpecker,  white  breasted 
nut-hatch,  and  tufted  titmouse. 

Bird  life  is  abundant  now  in  prairies  and  forests  and  seems 
to  be  increasing.  A  comparison  may  be  made  thus  for  1828  and 
1928.  Then  in  a  radius  of  five  miles  one  might  have  found  150 
species  nesting.  Now  one  may  find  50  species  nesting  in  the 
same  area.  The  highway  for  migration  through  Will  County 
makes  it  possible  to  identify  110  species  in  one  day,  including 
sand-hill  crane  and  all  species  of  geese  and  ducks. 

Wild  animal  life  is  found  in  many  of  the  smaller  species, 
gopher,  field  mouse,  white-footed  mouse,  red  squirrel,  gray 
squirrel,  ground  squirrel,  gopher,  musk  rat,  moke,  wood-chuck, 
cotton  tail  rabbit,  mink,  and  opossum.  The  larger  species  are 
represented  by  coon,  prairie  wolf,  timber  wolf,  and  fox.  Dur- 
ing 1928,  prairie  wolves  and  timber  wolves  have  been  killed  in 
Will  County. 

The  history  of  the  American  bison,  or  buffalo  in  Northern 
Illinois  is  interesting.  About  the  time  that  Columbus  reached 
the  eastern  shores  of  North  America  (1492)  the  great  American 
bison  was  leaving  the  failing  pastures  of  the  north.  He  came 
down  around  the  western  end  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  followed 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  thus  arrived  in 
Illinois.  Fossil  remains  have  been  unearthed  near  the  western 
border  of  Will  County,  among  which  are  buffalo  bones  mingled 
with  those  of  the  mastodons  which  occupied  this  region  in  Geo- 
logical times.  From  these  remains  we  gather  that  they  were 
here  before  1492  but  the  Red  Man  had  no  traditions  about  this 
early  occupation.  The  fossil  remains  may  have  been  from  an 
occupation  which  occurred  ages  ago. 

The  buffalo  was  welcomed  by  the  Indians  because  he  furn- 
ished an  abundance  of  food  which  was  easily  taken.  Some 
historians  venture  to  say  this  food  supply  changed  the  natives 

10— VOL,  1 


146  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

from  farmers  to  hunters  and  warriors.  This  is  not  likely  since 
game  was  always  abundant  on  the  fertile  prairies  of  Illinois, 
prairies  which  were  always  prized  by  the  Indians  and  had  to  be 
defended  by  a  sturdy  people.  Surely,  life  among  the  natives 
became  easier  because  food,  clothing,  and  shelter  were  readily 
procured.  Hospitality  was  abundant  and  a  better  fellowship 
came  to  their  hearths  and  homes. 

Since  we  have  given  the  coming  of  the  buffalo,  the  going 
(disappearance)  from  Will  County  may  not  be  omitted.  From 
the  "Memories  of  Shaubena"  (Shabona)  we  take  the  following: 

"The  trade  in  buffalo  robes  in  what  is  now  Will  County 
ceased  about  1790,  and  that  of  elk  skins  thirty  years  afterward. 
Shaubena  said,  in  his  youthful  days  he  chased  buffalo  across  the 
prairies,  but  while  he  was  still  young  they  all  disappeared  from 
the  country.  A  big  snow  about  five  feet  deep,  fell  and  froze  so 
hard  on  the  top  that  people  walked  on  it,  causing  the  buffalo  to. 
perish  by  starvation.  Next  spring  a  few  buffalo,  poor  and  hag- 
gard in  appearance,  were  seen  going  westward,  as  they 
approached  the  carcasses  of  dead  ones,  which  were  lying  here 
and  there  on  the  prairie,  they  would  stop,  commence  pawing 
and  blowing,  then  start  off  again  on  a  lope  for  the  West.  Years 
afterward  buffalo  bones  were  found  in  large  quantities  on  the 
prairies;  in  some  places,  many  acres  were  covered  with  them, 
showing  where  a  large  herd  had  perished,  and  their  trails,  lead- 
ing to  and  from  watering  places,  were  plain  to  be  seen." 

Passenger  pigeons  were  so  numerous  that  they  passed  in 
clouds  rather  than  in  flocks.  The  author  recalls  such  a  cloud 
which  passed  over  eastern  Will  County  half  a  century  ago.  In 
the  distance,  it  resembled  a  dark  cloud  which  appeared  to  be 
agitated  by  wind.  The  moving  of  many  wings  produced  this 
effect  upon  the  eye.  Roosts  were  found  in  many  places,  the 
best  known  being  on  the  bluffs  south  of  the  gravel  works  on 
the  Channahon  road.  The  bluffs  were  covered  with  trees,  na- 
tive timber  undisturbed.    In  these  trees  the  birds  passed  the 


/ 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  147 

night,  assembling  in  such  numbers  that  the  trees  were  frequent- 
ly broken  down  by  the  weight  of  the  birds.  Hunters  came  there 
at  sunrise  to  shoot  the  birds  as  they  went  out  in  the  morning 
to  go  to  their  feeding  grounds.  This  bird  is  now  extinct.  The 
last  one  died  in  the  zoological  park  at  Cincinnati  twenty  years 
ago. 

Deer  were  abundant  as  late  as  1850.  They  disappeared 
rapidly  after  that  because  settlers  came  in  immediately  follow- 
ing that  date.  Firearms  and  dogs  were  destructive  to  game. 
Turkey,  bear,  panther,  lynx,  and  otter,  were  driven  out  or 
N  killed  by  1860. 

Rattlesnakes  were  numerous  when  the  first  settlers  ap- 
peared upon  the  prairies.  The  bite  of  this  snake  was  considered 
deadly  at  that  time  and  is  still  considered  so.  Deaths  from  the 
bite  of  the  rattlesnake  are  recorded  but  were  not  numerous. 
The  reptile  was  not  aggressive  and  always  gave  warning  be- 
fore striking.  While  it  was  not  apt  to  flee  from  man,  it  pre- 
ferred flight  to  fight.  They  were  found  near  low  lands  or 
marshes  most  frequently.  When  they  appeared  near  habita- 
tions they  were  found  in  pairs,  male  and  female  together.  They 
were  exterminated  rapidly,  becoming  extinct  more  than  sixty 
years  ago. 

One  good  German  woman  helped  in  haying  and  placed  the 
hay  upon  the  wagon  without  a  fork,  using  her  hands  instead, 
as  was  the  custom  in  the  fatherland.  After  finishing  the  load 
and  taking  it  to  the  stack,  she  went  to  the  house  to  get  the  mid- 
day meal  while  the  men  unloaded.  When  about  half-way  down, 
the  man  on  the  wagon  found  a  live  rattler  of  good  size.  After 
that,  she  loaded  with  a  fork. 

The  following  account  is  taken  from  the  Journal  of  the 
Illinois  State  Historical  Society,  April,  July,  1924.  It  describes 
conditions  on  the  praries:  "In  those  days  rattlesnakes  were 
more  than  common.  It  was  the  custom  to  wear  heavy,  high 
leather  boots  as  a  protection  from  the  reptiles  and  to  carry  a 


148  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

bottle  of  whiskey  as  first  aid.  He  would  ride  along  on  horse- 
back, snapping  off  the  rattlers  heads  with  his  long  cattlewhip, 
often  killing  as  many  as  twenty-five  a  day.  Mr.  Meharry's  in- 
separable companion  while  herding  was  a  brown  dog,  Old  Shep, 
who  would  kill  almost  as  many  as  his  master.  The  dog  seemed 
to  have  an  instinctive  hatred  for  the  reptiles.  If  he  surprised 
one  stretched  out  in  the  sun,  he  would  seize  it  by  its  neck  and 
shake  it  to  pieces  before  the  snake  could  defend  itself.  But 
if  the  snake  was  coiled  and  ready  for  battle,  Old  Shep  was 
more  deliberate.  He  would  seemingly  forget  his  prey,  in  the 
meantime  keeping  his  sharp  eye  on  it,  until  the  snake  would 
partly  uncoil.  Then  he  would  have  it  by  the  neck  and  all  the 
fun  was  over." 

Where  the  E.  J.  and  E.  R.  R.  yards  and  shops  are  now  was 
formerly  a  horse  pasture  owned  by  the  Joliet  horseman.  One 
day  he  sent  the  hired  man,  a  negro,  to  the  pasture  to  bring  in 
a  certain  horse.  As  usual,  he  carried  a  halter  of  leather  to 
which  was  attached  a  long  rope.  The  man  entered  the  pasture 
where  the  grass  was  knee  high.  He  glanced  over  his  shoulder 
and  saw  a  snake  following  him.  He  ran  away  and  it  following 
him  gaining  speed  as  he  ran  faster  and  faster.  In  terror  he 
fled  from  the  pasture  to  the  road  where  there  was  no  grass. 
Then  he  discovered  that  he  was  dragging  the  rope  and  mistook 
it  for  a  snake.    He  was  not  bitten. 

Wild  eggs  were  abundant.  Prairie  hens  were  numerous.  In 
the  spring,  after  nesting  had  begun,  settlers  would  set  fire  to 
the  prairie  grass.  When  it  had  passed  the  eggs  were  easily 
gathered  for  use  in  the  home.  Ducks  and  geese  nested  in  the 
lowlands  and  marshes.  These  eggs  were  gathered  for  domestic 
use.  The  nests  of  coots  and  rails  were  also  robbed.  These  were 
known  as  wild  eggs.  Lincoln  tells  of  the  time  when  he  could 
buy  wild  eggs  by  the  peck,  for  twenty-five  cents  a  peck,  in 
Kentucky.  The  same  conditions  prevailed  in  the  first  years  of 
Will  County. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  149 

The  common  gray  rat  and  the  larger  brown  rat  are  not 
natives.  They  are  Tartars  coming  into  Eastern  Europe  about 
1700  and  reached  England  about  1755.  The  rat  travels  by  land 
on  foot  and  by  sea  in  ships.  Records  show  that  he  had  reached 
St.  Louis  in  1831.  From  this  as  a  center,  this  plague  spread 
northward  through  Illinois  while  Chicago  served  as  a  center 
of  distribution  for  Northern  part  of  the  state. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


THE  FRENCH  AND  THE  SPANISH  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


EARLY  EXPLORERS— MARQUETTE  AND  JOLIET— JEAN  NICOLET— FATHER 
ALLONEZ'S  WORK  AMONG  THE  INDIANS — FRENCH  OCCUPATION— ^FUR 
TRADING  POSTS  ESTABLISHED— REVOLUTIONARY  WAR  PERIOD — SPANISH 
OCCUPTION  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Neither  the  French  nor  the  Spanish  had  permanent  settle- 
ments in  Will  County.  The  French  explorers  passed  and  re- 
passed using  the  Great  Highway  and  the  Spanish  soldiers 
passed  this  way  but  once.  However,  Marquette  resided  her<* 
during  one  winter  and  established  a  somewhat  permanent  con- 
nection with  our  history. 

The  first  was  Jean  Nicolet  who  reached  the  French  settle- 
ments in  Canada  in  1618.  He  was  a  young  man  of  ability, 
seeking  adventure  in  a  new  land.  Champlain  sent  him  to  live 
with  the  Algonquins  and  Nipissings  who  resided  westward 
from  the  French  settlements.  He  was  to  learn  the  language 
of  these  people  that  he  might  act  as  an  interpreter  for  future 
expeditions  which  were  to  go  into  the  west.  His  was  not  a 
familiar  face  when  he  returned  to  Three  Rivers  in  the  company 
of  Algonquin  traders  who  came  in  their  annual  pilgrimage 
for  trade  and  barter.  His  outdoor  life  together  with  the  food 
and  clothing  of  the  Indians,  made  him  much  like  his  companions 
from  the  interior. 

During  his  years  of  travel  with  these  tribes,  Nicolet  had 
journeyed  through  extended  regions  around  the  upper  lakes 
which  are  now  called  Huron  and  Superior.    Many  stories  were 

150 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  151 

told  of  tribes  in  the  west  who  lived  on  the  shores  of  a  fresh- 
water sea,  a  people  who  journeyed  in  large  canoes,  and  had 
neither  hair  nor  beards.  After  a  rest  of  about  one  year,  he  be-, 
came  restless  again  and  was  ready  for  the  mission  upon  which 
Champlain  dispatched  him.  He  planned  to  penetrate  farther 
westward  and  learn,  at  first  hand,  of  these  people.  Accounts 
of  the  period  indicate  that  he  expected  to  find  an  oriental  people 
because  he  believed  that  they  were  close  to  the  Asiatic  coast. 
How  little  did  he  guess  what  intervened ! 

He  started  on  July  1,  1634,  traveling  up  the  Ottawa  River 
and  across  Lake  Nipissing  to  Georgian  Bay  and  onward  to  the 
Huron  Village.  Here,  among  old  friends,  he  readily  obtained 
seven  men  to  act  as  guides,  and  canvas  and  equipment  for  the 
journey.  They  went  as  far  as  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Nicolet  was 
the  first  white  man  to  reach  this  place  and  he  was  the  first 
white  man  to  open  communications  with  the  ancestors  of  the 
modern  Ojibways  who  still  reside  in  that  region. 

From  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Nicolet  and  his  companions  retraced 
their  path  to  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw.  From  here  he  jour- 
neyed southward  to  the  head  of  Green  Bay  where  he  encoun- 
tered the  Winnebago  tribe.  He  was  surprised  to  find  that  his 
knowledge  of  Algonquin  and  Nipissing  availed  him  but  little. 
This  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  these  were  western  peo- 
ple, the  first  of  the  Dacotah  stock  who  spoke  a  different  tongue. 
They  were  able  to  understand  his  message,  recognized  that  he 
came  as  a  friend,  and  celebrated  his  coming  with  feasting. 
Nicolet  was  without  any  fear  of  treachery  perhaps  because  he 
intended  no  evil  for  these  simple  minded  ones.  He  pushed  on 
up  the  Fox  River  until  he  reached  the  village  of  the  Mascoutins 
who  once  again  greeted  him  in  the  familiar  Algonquin  tongue. 

The  reader  recognizes  once  more  that  the  Red  Man  was  a 
traveler.  He  journeyed  far  in  search  of  food,  for  the  purpose 
of  barter,  and  for  adventure  in  warfare  in  which  the  warrior 
might  count  coup  and  go  home  as  a  brave.    He  gave  no  medals 


152  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

for  honor  or  for  distinguished  service.  Nevertheless  the  war- 
riors won  distinction  and  honor  among  his  fellows  and  count- 
ing coup  was  one  way.    He  had  a  just  pride  in  these  things. 

The  Mascoutins,  who  were  Algonquin  stock,  told  many 
stories  of  other  waters  which  lay  to  the  southward.  He  learned 
of  the  pasage  from  the  lake  to  the  Illinois  River.  The  accounts 
of  the  Indians  were  not  understood,  partly  because  he  used 
poetic  language,  a  common  practice  among  a  simple  people  and 
partly  because  the  White  Man's  imagination  induced  him  to 
vision  that  which  he  longed  to  see. 

Nicolet  did  not  continue  his  journey.  No  reasons  were  given 
for  this  omission,  for  such  it  seems  to  have  been.  The  great 
Illinois  Basin  and  the  great  Valley  of  the  Father  of  Waters 
were  left  for  Joliet  and  Marquette.  Nicolet  returned  to  the 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  journeyed  northward  to  join  his 
friends,  the  Hurons.  Earley  in  the  summer  of  1635,  he  joined 
the  flotilla  which  made  the  annual  pilgrimage  to  Three  Rivers. 
His  services  were  recognized  by  Champlain  by  appointing  him 
official  interpreter  at  that  trading  post. 

Soon  after  this  the  administration  of  affairs  in-  Canada  fell 
upon  the  intendent,  Jean  Baptiste  Talon.  He  was  alert  and 
active  giving  his  personal  attention  to  finance  and  good  order 
and  the  administration  of  justice  without  favor.  He  occu- 
pied himself  with  the  discoveries  of  Nicolet  and  sought  to  gain 
the  advantage  of  the  provision  of  that  intrepid  explorer. 

The  energetic  Talon  sent  expeditions  to  the  north  to  solve 
the  Hudson  Bay  problem.  When  this  was  underway  he  turned 
to  the  west,  to  the  region  visioned  by  Nicolet  for  which  he  had 
pictured  a  wonderful  future.  Again  the  reader  must  recall 
that  these  leaders  sought  mercenary  ends,  hoping  to  fill  the 
coffers  of  the  king  with  gold  from  the  profits  of  trade  with 
the  Indians.  The  Illinois  Basin,  the  land  of  their  dreams,  has 
produced  riches  beyond  the  wildest  dreams  of  their  greatest 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  153 

visionaries.  But,  how  different  is  the  source  of  its  wealth  from 
that  which  they  sought  to  develop. 

Father  Allonez  came  to  Sault  St.  Marie  on  September  2, 
1665,  to  work  among  the  Indians  as  a  missionary.  From  this 
mission  and  trading  post,  he  journeyed  westward  along  the 
southern  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  going  nearly  to  the  western 
extremity.  He  found,  here  and  there  among  the  natives, 
Frenchmen  who  were  adventurers  and  traders,  often  more 
savage  than  the  savages  among  whom  they  lived.  They  were 
known  as  coureurs  des  bois,  men  who  were  described  as  a  law- 
less gang,  half  traders  and  half  explorers,  bent  on  lustful  pleas- 
ures, men  of  wonderful  physical  endurance  not  easily  discour- 
aged by  perils  or  discomforts  of  the  wilderness.  They  obtained 
furs  by  fair  means  or  foul,  traded  where  they  pleased,  and  held 
themselves  subject  to  no  one. 

The  Red  Men  recognized  them  for  what  their  lives  indicated. 
They  besought  Father  Allonez  to  reform  them.  By  making 
this  request,  they  demonstrated  their  faith  in  his  religion.  If  it 
had  the  redeeming  grace  which  he  set  forth,  surely  it  would 
regenerate  the  lawless  Frenchmen  and  remove  a  disturbing 
element  in  the  settlements.  How  soon  the  simple  native  was 
undeceived ! 

At  La  Pointe  Mission,  the  good  priest  met  many  messengers 
from  distant  tribes  to  the  west  and  the  south.  In  the  inter- 
course with  these  traders  and  warriors,  he  heard  much  of  the 
Mississippi  and  the  great  sea  into  which  it  flowed.  He  made 
many  trips  seeking  native  pure  copper.  The  Sioux  (Nadoue- 
siouek)  told  of  the  vast  prairies  and  the  game,  and  of  the  tribes 
still  farther  westward.  The  Des  Plaines  passage  was  explained 
to  him  but  he  failed  to  traverse  it.  However,  he  established 
faith  in  the  project  and  demonstrated  what  could  be  done  by 
those  who  came  after. 

Father  Marquette  reached  Quebec  from  France  in  Septem- 
ber, 1666.    Here  he  reported  to  his  superior  officer  and  devoutly 


154  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

returned  thanks  to  his  Heavenly  Father  for  having  come  so  near 
to  the  land  in  which  he  sought  to  render  service.  He  proceeded 
to  Three  Rivers  where  he  was  in  training  for  three  years, 
learning  the  language  of  the  natives,  and  acquiring  the  art  of 
providing  himself  with  food,  clothing  and  shelter  in  the  wilder- 
ness. There  was  much  to  learn  which  was  not  found  in  books. 
He  applied  himself  with  great  zeal  and  was  ready  to  go  for- 
ward in  1668. 

Marquette  proceeded  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie  where  there  was 
a  mission  which  was  prosperous.  From  here  he  went  west  to 
the  extremity  of  Lake  Superior  where  he  worked  among  the 
natives  for  two  years.  The  Indian  tribe  among  whom  he  had 
labored  were  driven  out  by  hostile  tribes  and  the  missionary 
returned  eastward  to  the  island  of  Mackinaw.  While  here  he 
received  a  most  welcome  message  from  the  Governor  of  Can- 
ada. This  was  brought  to  him  by  his  former  acquaintance 
and  friend,  Joliet,  whom  he  had  known  and  admired  at  Three 
Rivers. 

Joliet  was  commissioned  as  an  explorer  and  Marquette  was 
to  accompany  him  to  act  as  interpreter  and  guide..  The  priests 
were  known  to  all  of  the  tribes  as  "black  robes"  and  as  "medi- 
cine men"  of  the  whites.  The  natives  trusted  them  and  were 
kindly  disposed  to  traders  who  came  with  them.  During  the 
winter  these  two  men  made  their  preparations  for  the  journey. 
They  gathered  information,  two  canoes,  and  five  oarsmen.  In 
May  they  started,  going  up  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Michigan 
into  Green  Bay  from  which  they  entered  the  Fox  River.  They 
followed  this  stream  upward  to  the  portage  which  took  them 
to  the  Wisconsin  River.  They  passed  down  this  stream  into 
the  Mississippi  which  was  followed  as  far  south  as  the  Arkan- 
sas. Here  they  found  natives  with  firearms,  thus  demonstrat- 
ing a  contact  with  Europeans.  The  return  journey  was  slower 
and  more  difficult.    On  coming  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  155 

they  ascended  that  stream  and  thus  came  into  the  Des  Plaines 
and  the  Great  Highway  and  through  this  to  Chicago.  The 
two  men  returned  to  Green  Bay  and  the  Mission  of  St.  Xavier. 

Marquette  had  promised  the  Kaskaskia  Indians  that  he 
would  return  to  them  to  teach  them  the  gospel.  But  exposure 
and  fatigue  had  broken  his  health  so  that  he  had  to  remain  to 
recuperate  during  the  summer.  In  the  autumn  he  made  the 
return  journey  with  two  Frenchmen  as  companions.  They  pro- 
ceeded slowly  because  his  illness  returned.  On  December  4th 
they  entered  the  Chicago  River  and  passed  up  the  west  branch 
to  Summit  where  they  passed  the  winter  of  1674-75.  In  the 
spring,  Marquette  had  recovered  sufficiently  to  enable  them  to 
proceed  slowly  on  their  way.  In  eleven  days  they  reached  the 
Kaskaskia  village.  He  taught  them  for  a  few  days  and  estab- 
lished the  Mission  of  the  Immaculate  Conception. 

The  good  man  felt  that  he  had  but  a  few  weeks  to  live  and 
started  back,  accompanied  by  many  of  his  devoted  friends  who 
took  him  through  Will  County  for  the  last  time  to  the  shores 
of  Lake  Michigan.  From  here  he  and  his  companions  paddled 
around  the  southern  end  of  the  lake  and  proceeded  upward 
along  the  eastern  shore.  On  May  18,  1675,  he  passed  away  in 
a  rude  shelter  near  where  Luddington  now  stands.  From  "Illi- 
nois History  Stories"  by  W.  H.  Campbell  we  take  this  tribute: 
"The  most  lovable  as  well  as  the  most  prominent  character  con- 
nected with  the  exploration  of  the  Middle  West  was  the  heroic 
Father  Marquette.  His  is  one  of  the  lives  untouched  by  selfish- 
ness and  untainted  by  greed,  that  stands  out  like  a  great  prom- 
ontory in  the  sea  of  passion  and  cruelty  and  scheming  that 
swept  over  the  New  World  during  the  first  centuries  of  its  his- 
tory. He  was  molded  of  the  material  of  which  martyrs  are  made. 
He  never  desired  ease  or  fame.  He  loved  humanity  and  wild  na- 
ture. He  lived  as  he  had  hoped  to  live  and  died  as  he  had 
prayed  to  die,  far  from  the  habitations  of  men,  in  the  midst  of 


156  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  interminable  forests  beside  the  waterways  leading  to  the 
Great  Lakes,  his  face  turned  toward  Heaven,  and  only  a  few 
faithful  converts  to  mark  his  passing." 

The  French  occupation  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Mississippi 
valleys  was  of  a  dual  nature,  material  and  spiritual.  The 
trader  and  the  priest  came  together,  the  latter  preceding  be- 
cause his  messages  appealed  to  the  simple  minded  natives. 
Their  own  religion,  spiritual  in  nature  and  with  a  belief  in  one 
God  readily  took  on  the  Catholic  teachings.  The  trader  fol- 
lowed almost  immediately,  prospering  because  the  missionary 
had  established  faith  among  the  Indians.  The  French  and  In- 
dians were  friendly  through  a  long  period  of  years. 

Fur-trading  posts  were  established  in  many  places  to  be 
converted  into  forts  as  occasion  demanded.  Such  a  fortification 
was  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  St.  Joseph  River  about  one 
mile  west  of  the  present  town  of  Niles,  Michigan.  This  was 
on  a  trail  (route)  used  for  many  generations  as  the  tribes  mi- 
grated in  quest  of  game,  or  war  parties  traveled  that  way. 
After  Wolfe  took  Quebec  and  Montreal  capitulated,  the  British 
sent  a  detachment  of  the  Sixtieth  British  Regiment  called  the 
Royal  Americans,  to  take  charge  of  the  fort  at  St.  Joseph.  They 
hoisted  the  English  flag  and  took  up  a  carefree,  easy  life.  The 
natives  were  disturbed  but  little  in  the  routine  of  trading  and 
remained  peaceable. 

During  the  Revolutionary  war,  France  induced  Spain  to 
join  the  contest  against  Great  Britain.  St.  Louis  became  the 
northernmost  post  and  the  Spanish  capital  of  Louisiana.  In 
1781,  Don  Francesco  Cruvat  was  the  governor  with  a  most 
lengthy  and  enlightening  title.  It  is  given  here  because  it  is 
a  description  of  the  man  as  well  as  his  province:  "Brevet  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  of  Infantry,  Captain  in  the  Regiment  of  Louisi- 
ana, Commander  and  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  western  part 
and  district  of  Illinois,  for  His  Most  Catholic  Majesty  the  King 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  157 

of  Spain."  The  nearest  British  flag  was  the  one  flying  at  St. 
Joseph  so  Colonel  Crevat  must  take  the  fortification. 

The  expedition  was  not  undertaken  in  summer  when  a  direct 
route  might  be  taken  across  country  where  food  was  plenty 
and  going  was  easy.  It  must  be  in  the  dead  of  winter  when 
the  ground  was  frozen  and  covered  with  snow.  Game  was  not 
on  the  prairies  and  Grand  Prairie  afforded  no  fuel  for  fires 
in  the  camps  at  night.  These  were  hardy  soldiers  for  no  weak- 
lings were  found  in  these  distant  outposts.  Vigorous  as  they 
were,  they  dared  not  attempt  to  cross  the  prairies.  Rather, 
they  followed  the  wooded  land  along  the  streams  that  they 
might  have  fuel  and  food.  By  day  they  trudged  on  through  the 
snow  carrying  heavy  burdens  for  beasts  of  burden  were  few. 
The  French  soldiers  always  light-hearted  and  gay,  frequently 
burst  into  song  and  thus  cheered  the  stoics  in  the  little  army. 
By  night  they  sat  about  the  camp-fire  recounting  deeds  of 
valor  in  other  expeditions,  deeds  which  grew  more  noble  with 
each  recounting.  Their  line  of  march  took  them  upstream 
along  the  Kankakee  River  to  the  portage  leading  to  the  St. 
Joseph  River.  This  took  them  through  what  is  now  the  south- 
ern part  of  Will  County.  The  fort  was  captured  without  diffi- 
culty. The  British  garrison  relied  upon  Indian  spies.  The  Red 
Men  had  nothing  to  lose  so  they  were  careless.  One  account 
states  that  the  fortification  was  so  accustomed  to  being  cap- 
tured that  one  more  made  little  difference.  The  British  flag 
was  lowered  and  the  standard  of  His  Most  Catholic  Majesty 
was  placed  on  high. 

The  soldiers  plundered  the  fort  with  system  and  dispatch 
for  they  were  master  hands  at  that  work.  Supplies  and  food 
for  their  own  use  were  retained  and  the  rest  was  given  to  the 
Indians  in  their  own  ranks  and  to  those  about  the  fort.  They 
were  generous  with  the  other  fellows'  supplies.  After  a  few 
days  for  rest  and  refreshment  they  made  the  return  to  St. 


158  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Louis.  Thus  for  a  few  weeks,  Will  County  was  under  the  Span- 
ish flag.  Nothing  more  was  done  after  this.  No  records  ap- 
pear later  excepting  one  which  cites  Don  Charles  Tayon  who 
was  second  in  command  in  the  expedition,  who  it  is  stated  "had 
rendered  important  services  to  the  Spanish  Government  from 
the  year  1770,  and  was  second  in  command  at  the  siege  of  St. 
Joseph  which  he  contributed  to  take."  He  afterwards  received 
a  commission  for  his  merits. 

It  is  not  easy  to  understand  the  overlapping  of  claims  and 
the  consequent  disputes  of  those  early  days.  Travel  was  ex- 
ceedingly difficult  by  water  and  much  slower  by  land.  Com- 
munication was  very  slow  and  unreliable  because  messengers 
might  misrepresent  the  mesage,  and  those  using  another  tongue 
might  not  understand.  In  the  days  of  1928  when  one  travels 
over  concrete  roads  at  fifty  miles  an  hour,  or  by  air  service 
at  twice  that  speed,  when  registered  mail  carries  the  informa- 
tion so  rapidly  and  so  surely,  when  one  may  dine  in  Chicago 
one  day  and  in  New  York  City  the  next,  it  is,  indeed,  necessary 
to  take  much  on  faith.  The  following  letter  will  be  interesting 
and  reliable  first-hand  information : 

"New  York,  October  9,  1768. 
"My  Lord: 

"Some  advices  lately  received  from  Fort  Chartres,  of  a 
strange  Mixture  of  French  and  Spanish  Government  on  the 
opposite  Side  of  the  Mississippi,  so  that  there  is  no  knowing 
to  whom  a  Country  belongs.  A  French  Officer,  Monsr.  St. 
Ange,  commands  on  the  Mississippi,  and  receives  Orders  both 
from  Don  Ulloa  and  Monsr.  Aubry.  Don  Ruis  a  Spanish  Cap- 
tain, is  appointed  Governor  of  the  Missouri.  These  two  Com- 
manders are  said  to  be  entirely  independent  of  each  other,  and 
expressly  forbid  to  consult  together  on  any  public  matters.  All 
traders  are  prohibited  going  up  the  Mississippi  without  a  Pass 
signed  by  Don  Ulloa,  and  are  obliged  to  go  down  to  New  Or- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  159 

leans  to  give  an  Account  of  their  Trade,  and  an  order  has  been 
published  for  all  young  People  of  a  certain  age  to  take  up 
Land  and  Marry,  or  quit  the  Country.  The  works  undertaken* 
by  the  Spaniards  on  the  Missouri  have  been  destroyed  by  an 
overflowing  of  the  River,  and  of  the  People  they  sent  up  into 
that  Country  only  fifteen  remain;  all  the  rest  have  deserted. 
The  French  Inhabitants  appear  to  be  so  much  disgusted,  that 
it  was  expected  many  of  them  would  become  British  Subjects. 
The  Priest  who  retired  to  the  West  Side  of  the  River  when  the 
King's  Troops  took  possession  of  Fort  Chartres,  has  had  some 
quarrel  with  the  Spaniards  and  is  returned  again,  and  become 
a  Subject  to  His  Majesty.  The  Trade  of  the  Country  is  re- 
ported to  be  in  a  bad  State,  but  I  have  not  yet  heard  any  par- 
ticular Account  of  its  Situation. 

"A  Tryal  was  made  this  year  to  strengthen  the  Bank  of  the 
Mississippi  near  the  Fort,  that  might  prevent  its  being  washed 
away  by  the  Torrents  of  the  River,  and  it  has  met  with  the 
success  that  was  hoped  for.  No  part  of  the  Bank  was  carried 
away  this  Spring,  and  it  is  thought,  if  the  work  is  continued, 
that  the  Fort  may  be  preserved. 

"These  letters  advise  also,  that  a  hunting  Party  from  Fort 
Chartres,  had  been  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians  of  the  Oua- 
bache,  who  killed  most  of  them,  and  carried  away  nine  Scalps 
and  eight  Horse-loads  of  Peltries  into  their  Village  at  St.  Vin- 
cent. That  the  same  Indians  afterwards  attacked  some  Hunt- 
ers upon  Green  River,  which  joins  the  Ohio  about  ninety  miles 
below  the  Falls. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  the  greatest  Regard,  Respect, 
and  Esteem,  My  Lord,  your  Lordship's  Most  Obedient,  and  Most 
humble  Servant, 

"Thomas  Gage. 

"Right  Hon.  Earl  of  Hillsborough, 
One  of  His  Majesty's  principal 
Secretarys  of  State." 


CHAPTER  IX. 


FIRST  SETTLEMENTS  IN  WILL  COUNTY 


ILLINOIS  ADMITTED  TO  THE  UNION— MISSIONARIES— FATHER  WALKER— INDIAN 
EXPERIENCES— EARLY  SETTLEMENTS— THE  SCOTT  FAMILYr— OTHER 
PIONEER    SETTLERS 

In  1818,  when  Illinois  was  admitted  as  a  state,  it  showed  a 
population  of  forty  thousand.  Since  the  people  were  eager  to 
get  into  the  Union,  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  many  transients 
were  counted  and  that  the  areas  counted  may  have  overlapped 
some.  At  any  rate,  census  returns  showed  the  required  num- 
ber of  people  and  Illinois  became  a  state.  All  that  portion  north 
of  Alton  and  Edwardsville  was  a  wilderness.  There  was  a 
fort  at  Peoria  with  troops  and  a  few  traders  under  the  imme- 
diate protection  of  the  soldiers.  Fort  Dearborn  at  Chicago 
was  also  occupied,  with  three  or  four  families  adjoining  the 
fort  and  safe-guarded  by  it.  French  traders  were  found  oc- 
casionally, but  most  of  them  had  withdrawn  to  the  north  and 
west,  fbr  they  were  ever  restless  in  the  presence  of  settlers  and 
soldiers.  Couriers  of  the  woods,  (cureurs  de  bois)  were  found 
among  the  Indians,  but  they  were  as  much  Indian  as  they  were 
white.  Many  of  them  were  squaw  men  and  lived  as  the  Indians 
lived.  There  were  hunters  and  traders,  adventurers,  caring 
little  for  the  comforts  of  civilized  life  and  restless  whenever 
permanent  occupation  of  the  land  seemed  imminent.  They 
were  a  hardy  group  of  men  but  acomplished  nothing  toward 
permanent  settlements.  In  fact,  some  of  them  wTere  a  hin- 
drance to  the  first  whites. 

160 


JOLIET  TOWNSHIP  HIGH  SCHOOL,  JOLIET,   ILL. 


UNION  STATION,  JOLIET,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  161 

The  Methodist  Church,  while  not  so  zealous  as  the  Jesuit 
Society,  sent  out  missionaries  early  and  through  the  efforts  of 
these  faithful  workers,  one  of  these  missionaries  was  the  first 
settler  in  Will  County.  The  order  of  the  coming  of  the  settlers 
is  interesting.  First,  were  those  from  the  South,  Virginians 
and  Kentuckians,  because  southern  Illinois  was  settled  by 
them;  Buckeyes  and  Hoosiers  followed  soon,  to  be  followed  by 
Irishmen,  Germans,  Englishmen,  Swiss,  Norwegians,  Swedes, 
and  later,  "contrabands"  from  the  South.  These  different  peo- 
ples have  mingled  and  intermarried  so  as  to  become  a  homo- 
geneous people.  The  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  wit- 
nessed the  coming  of  the  people  from  Southern  Europe.  Ital- 
ians, Greeks,  Russians,  Austrians,  and  the  various  peoples  from 
Southeastern  Europe.  Even  the  Finns  from  Northern  Europe 
have  some  groups  of  families  among  us. 

Reverend  Jesse  Walker  was  the  first  missionary  to  settle 
in  the  County.  It  is  worth  while  to  follow  his  career  both  in 
and  outside  of  Will  County.  Jesse  Walker,  known  as  Father 
Walker,  is  the  typical  circuit  rider  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Illinois.  Walker's  life  is  of  interest  and  gives  a  good  picture  of 
one  of  the  most  significant  of  the  early  circuit  riders.  His 
history  is  intimately  connected  with  the  early  history  of  Will 
work  is  taken  from  the  Journal  of  the  Illinois  State  Historical 
County,  about  Plainfield.  The  following  account  of  his  life  and 
Society. 

July,  1919:  "Father  walker  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1766 
and,  like  many  other  Virginians,  came  west  to  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi.  He  had  few  educational  advantages  and  but  little 
connection  with  the  Methodist  Church  until  he  was  twenty 
years  of  age.  He  was  converted  at  this  age  and  accompanied 
circuit  riders.  He  was  urged  to  become  a  circuit  rider,  but, 
knowing  the  hardships  of  the  life,  he  hesitated  because  he  did 
not  wish  to  expose  his  wife  to  the  hardships. 

H_yOL.  1 


162  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

In  1802,  he  yielded  to  the  call  to  preach  and  labored  four 
years  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  In  1805,  William  McKen- 
dree,  later  Bishop  McKendree,  set  out  for  Illinois  taking  Walker 
with  him.  In  1806,  Walker  was  assigned  to  Illinois.  It  would 
be  interesting  to  know  where  this  pioneer  preached  and  what 
people  heard  him,  but  little  exact  information  of  those  first 
years  has  come  down  to  us.  It  is  recorded  that  he  held  the 
first  watch-night  service  and  the  first  camp-meeting  in  the 
state.  His  first  year  was  passed  in  the  American  Bottom.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  he  reported  a  membership  of  two  hundred 
twenty,  a  gain  of  one  hundred  per  cent. 

For  the  next  twelve  years  Walker  labored  in  Missouri,  then 
in  Illinois,  and  then  in  Missouri.  For  seven  of  the  twelve  years 
he  was  presiding  elder,  in  Illinois  four  years  and  three  years 
in  Missouri.  In  1819,  at  the  annual  conference,  he  was  left  with- 
out an  appointment  and  was  assigned  as  a  conference  mission- 
ary. He  was  to  go  to  the  uncared  for  in  the  bounds  of  this 
conference,  and  to  aid  other  preachers.  This  work  did  not 
suit  him  and  in  1820  he  was  assigned  to  St.  Louis  as  a  mis- 
sionary. His  work  in  St.  Louis  was  successful,  but  he  failed 
to  secure  the  approval  of  the  conference  in  1821  and  for  three 
years  he  was  unassigned.  In  1824  he  was  assigned  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  Indians  of  the  Illinois  valley,  as  far  as  Fort  Dear- 
born at  Chicago.  Some  are  inclined  to  look  upon  these  years 
as  a  failure  since  he  did  not  convert  the  natives. 

But,  the  impression  he  (Walker)  made  upon  their  minds 
was  such  as  doubtless  would  have  resulted  in  the  best  conse- 
quences, (could  he  have  been  retained  among  them),  is  evident 
for  the  veneration  they  long  bore  and  probably  still  bear  for 
Father  Walker  (as  they  called  him),  and  their  strict  adherence 
to  his  precepts  (even  among  their  hunting  parties  in  the  re- 
cesses of  the  forests),  such  as  abstinence  from  spirituous 
liquors,  avoiding  profanity,  and  observing  the  Sabbath.  It  is 
of  interest  to  note  that  these  Pottawatomies  among  whom  he 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  163 

worked,  remained  loyal  to  the  whites  during  the  Black  Hawk 
war.  It  would  be  too  much  to  assert  that  this  was  due  to 
Walker,  for  we  find  other  influences  at  work  that  kept  them 
loyal,  but  we  may  be  sure  that  the  work  of  Walker  tended 
to  keep  them  peaceable. 

In  the  year  1825,  two  events  of  interest  occurred.  S.  R. 
Beggs  tells  us  that  Walker  established  the  first  Methodist  class 
in  Peoria.  During  this  same  year  Walker  made  a  trip  to  Chi- 
cago. It  is  altogether  in  accordance  with  the  character  of  the 
early  circuit  rider  and  especially  Walker  to  say  that  he  preached 
while  in  Chicago.  There  is  nothing  to  show  that  he  did,  but 
he  would  have  been  sick  or  unable  to  gather  five  or  six  together 
if  he  did  not.  Such  would  be  the  first  Protestant  sermon  in 
Chicago.  *  *  *  Walker  was  made  superintendent  in  1831 
of  the  Mission  District  which  included  the  Chicago  Mission. 
This  year  he  also  served  the  Desplain  Mission. 

That  readers  may  form  some  faint  idea  of  the  personal  ap- 
pearance of  our  hero,  let  them  suppose  a  man  about  five  feet 
six  or  seven  inches  high,  of  rather  slender  form  with  a  sallow 
complexion,  light  hair,  small  blue  eyes,  prominent  cheek  bones, 
and  pleasant  countenance,  dressed  in  drab  colored  clothes,  made 
in  plain  style  peculiar  to  the  early  Methodist  preachers,  his 
neck  secured  with  a  white  cravat,  and  his  head  covered  with 
a  light-colored  beaver,  nearly  as  large  as  a  lady's  parasol,  and 
they  will  see  Jesse  Walker  as  if  spread  out  on  canvas  before 
them. 

As  to  his  mental  endowments,  he  was  without  education, 
except  the  elementary  branches  of  English  imperfectly  ac- 
quired, but  favored  with  a  good  share  of  common  sense,  culti- 
vated some  by  reading,  but  much  more  by  practical  intercourse 
with  society,  and  enriched  with  a  vast  fund  of  incidents,  pe- 
culiar to  a  frontier  life,  which  he  communicated  with  much 
ease  and  force.  His  conversational  talent,  his  tact  in  narra- 
tive, his  spicy  manner,  and  almost  endless  variety  of  religious 


164  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

anecdotes,  rendered  him  an  object  of  attraction  in  social  life. 
Unaccustomed  to  expressing  his  thoughts  on  paper,  he  kept  his 
journal  in  his  mind,  by  which  means  his  memory  was  much 
strengthened  and  his  resources  for  the  entertainment  of 
friends  increased.  He  introduced  himself  among  strangers 
with  much  facility,  and  as  soon  as  they  became  acquainted  with 
him,  his  social  habits,  good  temper,  unaffected  simplicity,  and 
great  suavity  of  manner  for  a  backwoodsman,  made  them  his 
fast  friends.  As  a  pulpit  orator  he  was  certainly  not  above 
mediocrity,  if  up  to  it;  but  his  zeal  was  ardent,  his  moral 
courage  firm,  his  piety  exemplary,  and  his  perseverance  in 
whatever  he  undertook  was  indefatigable.  *  *  *  But  few 
men,  even  in  his  day  performed  more  hard  labor  or  endured 
more  privation,  than  Jesse  Walker,  and  certainly  no  one  per- 
formed his  part  with  more  cheerfulness  and  perseverance. 

In  the  last  few  years  there  has  been  a  special  effort  to  give 
Walker  the  attention  due  him.  In  1850  his  remains  were  re- 
moved to  a  cemetery  in  Plainfield  and  a  small  stone  placed  on 
his  grave.  In  1911  a  large  and  suitable  monument  was  erected 
by  the  Rock  River  Conference  and  a  pilgrimage -made  to  his 
grave  by  the  Conference  held  in  1911.  Both  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
then  joined  in  services  honoring  his  memory." 

It  is  very  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  manuscripts  left 
by  Father  Walker,  respecting  his  life  and  works,  which  must 
have  been  of  great  historic  value,  were  burned,  a  large  portion 
of  them  in  a  fire  which  consumed  the  house  of  James  Walker, 
his  son-in-law.  That  part  of  his  writings  which  were  saved 
from  this  conflagration  were  afterward  burned  when  D.  C. 
Searles'  house  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  following  incident  is  enlightening,  since  it  depicts  In- 
dian character  as  well  as  the  mutual  regards  which  the  early 
people  had  for  each  other:  "During  the  Black  Hawk  war,  one 
of  the  council  of  women  of  whom  we  have  spoken,  came  to 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  165 

Mrs.  James  Walker,  the  daughter  of  Father  Walker,  who  had 
been  a  teacher  at  the  mission,  and  who  was  highly  esteemed  by 
the  Indians,  and  left  with  her  her  infant  boy,  to  whom  she 
had  given  the  name  of  Shon-on-ise,  charging  her  that  if  she 
did  not  return,  she  (Mrs.  Walker)  must  be  a  mother  to  him. 
Mrs.  Walker  agreed  without  reflection,  to  do  as  she  was  asked 
to  do.  The  council  woman  was  then  on  her  way  to  Milwaukee 
to  attend  a  council.  It  so  happened  that  she  was  attacked 
with  cholera  and  died,  leaving  to  Mrs.  Walker  the  charge  she 
had  accepted.  This  duty  she  performed  faithfully,  and  the 
Indian  boy  was  brought  up  in  the  family  with  Mr.  Walker's 
children  and  received  the  same  advantages  of  education  as  his 
own,  and  when  he  became  of  age  was  given  a  generous  outfit. 
But  Shon-on-ise  at  once  showed  the  truth  of  the  adage,  'once 
an  Indian  always  an  Indian/  for  he  immediately  turned  his 
pony's  head  toward  the  setting  sun  and  sought  out  his  tribe  in 
the  Far  West.  Having  the  advantage  of  education  he  became 
an  influential  chief  among  the  Indian  tribes,  and  made  fre- 
quent visits  to  Washington  in  furtherance  of  their  interests. 
On  such  occasions  he  always  called  to  see  Captain  James  Walker 
and  his  foster  mother. 

In  this  village,  as  elsewhere,  the  Pottawatomies  were  gen- 
erally well  disposed  toward  the  settlers,  giving  them  but  little 
annoyance  except  when  under  the  influence  of  good-no-tash. 
This  article,  which  under  another  name,  plays  the  mischief 
among  white  people  as  well,  was  a  source  of  great  trouble 
and,  indeed,  of  danger  to  the  mission  and  to  the  early  settlers, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  keep  strict  watch  and  to  use  arbi- 
trary measures  to  keep  it  from  them.  On  one  occasion,  Cap- 
tain James  Walker,  finding  that  by  some  unaccountable  means 
the  Indians  had  access  to  the  contraband  article,  determined 
to  find  out  how  they  got  it.  Being  perfectly  familiar  with  In- 
dian customs,  and  speaking  their  language,  he  disguised  him- 
self in  their  attire  and  walking  into  their  encampment  or  vil- 


166  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lage,  he  seated  himself  among  them,  as  he  found  them  gathered 
for  some  special  purpose.  Presently  a  man  stole  in  whom  he 
recognized  as  a  trader  from  the  Fox  River,  and  began  to  deal 
out  the  firewater.  He  soon  came  to  Captain  Walker,  who 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  called  out  the  name  of  the  trader.  The 
trader  was  much  chagrined.    The  traffic  ceased  for  some  time. 

Godfrey's  Tavern,  at  the  junction  of  Route  4  and  the  Plain- 
field  road,  on  the  south  edge  of  Section  twelve  (12)  in  DuPage 
Township  was  an  early  settlement.  It  was  a  station  for  stage- 
coaches, being  the  place  where  they  changed  horses  when  going 
into  Chicago  and  when  returning.  More  is  given  under  Du- 
Page Township. 

The  settlements  on  Hickory  Creek  were  among  the  very 
first.  W.  R.  Rice  in  a  letter  says  that  in  June,  1829,  he  and  his 
father  William  Rice  and  Miller,  left  Fountain  County,  Indiana, 
to  look  at  the  Far  West.  He  says:  "We  struck  the  Iroquois 
which  we  followed  to  the  Kankakee,  which,  in  turn,  we  followed 
to  the  Des  Plaines.  We  followed  the  Des  Plaines  upstream  to 
Hickory  Creek.  Going  up  this  a  mile  or  two,  we  found  a  Mr. 
Brown  and  old  Col.  Sayre  living  in  an  old  Indian  bark  shanty 
near  where  Dr.  Allen's  house  stands  (the  old  Davidson  place) ; 
and  about  eighty  rods  northwest  across  the  creek  was  an  old 
man  of  the  name  of  Friend,  who  had  a  log  cabin  partly  built." 

The  account  is  correct.  The  man,  Brown,  died  soon  after 
and  was  buried  on  the  Davidson  place,  the  first  white  burial 
in  Will  County. 

The  Indian  bark  shanty  was  very  near  where  the  Viaduct 
on  East  Washington  Street  crosses  the  Michigan  Central  Rail- 
road. Friend's  log  cabin  was  on  the  north  side  of  Hickory 
Creek,  a  little  to  the  west  and  south  of  the  Joliet  Lumber  and 
Fuel  Company,  2320  East  Cass  Street.  Other  settlements  along 
Hickory  Creek  will  be  mentioned  in  the  township  history. 

Robert  Stevens  settled  on  Section  Two  in  1830  and  brought 
his  family  in  1831.    This  farm  of  Mr.  Stevens  became  the  first 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  167 

fair  grounds.  A  beautiful  grove  of  oaks  was  found  here  and 
an  abundant  spring  supplying  water.  This  area  is  now  known 
as  "Brooklyn"  and  lies  south  of  Second  Avenue,  southward  to 
Fifth  Avenue.  David  Maggard  took  up  a  claim  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Des  Plaines  River  about  opposite  the  Steel  Mills, 
on  the  bluff  opposite  the  Horseshoe  works.  Both  of  these  men 
were  here  before  the  surveys  had  been  made  and  were  squat- 
ters. This  fact  makes  it  difficult  to  locate  the  land  exactly. 
Maggard's  cabin  was  the  first  erected  in  the  present  city  lim- 
its. His  home  stood  on  the  edge  of  the  Sac  (Sauk)  Trail.  This 
trail,  at  that  early  date  was  a  national  highway.  The  Lincoln 
Highway  approximates  this  trail  coming  into  Joliet  from  the 
east  and  going  out  on  the  northwest  toward  Aurora.  The  pres- 
ent flow  of  water  in  the  river  is  high  on  account  of  the  Chicago 
Drainage  Channel,  but  in  the  early  days  (1828-29-30)  it  could 
be  forded  where  the  riffles  were  in  shallow  places  where  the 
water  flowed  swiftly. 

Reed's  Grove  was  in  section  thirty-six  (36)  in  Channahon 
Township  and  in  section  thirty-one  (31)  in  Jackson  Township. 
This  is  south  and  west  of  Elwood.  Charles  Reed,  Joseph  Shoe- 
maker, and  Wesley  Jenkins  settled  in  Reed's  Grove  in  1831. 

Yankee  Settlement  was  started  in  1831,  when  Holder  Sisson, 
Selah  Lanfear,  and  Orrin  Stevens  settled  in  the  West-central 
part  of  the  Township  of  Homer.  Mr.  Lanfear  settled  on  the 
northwest  one-fourth  of  Section  29.  About  the  same  time  Ly- 
man Hawley  settled  on  the  northeast  one-fourth  of  Section  30. 
Mr.  Hawley  opened  a  store  on  Hawley's  Hill  which  is  now  on 
the  Frazier  farm.  A  blacksmith  shop  was  started  and  for  a 
time,  it  seemed  that  a  town  might  grow  on  this  hill,  but  fate 
decided  otherwise. 

Thorn  Grove,  which  exists  now  in  name  if  not  in  trees,  cov- 
ered sections  1,  2, 11  and  12,  in  Monee  Township  and  section  6, 
in  Crete  Township.  The  grove  extended  into  Cook  County  for 
several  miles,  running  northward  from  the  part  in  Will  county. 


168  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1833-1834,  Major  Price,  William  Osborn  and  Asa  Dade  settled 
on  Thorn  Creek. 

DuPage  settlements  (Township  37  North,  Range  10,  East 
of  the  3rd  Principal  Meridian)  were  made  much  earlier  because 
the  first  settler  was  attracted  by  the  beauty  of  the  land  between 
the  two  branches  of  the  DuPage  River,  branches  which  unite 
just  before  entering  Wheatland  Township. 

The  following  liberal  transcript  is  taken  from  "History  of 
Will  County,"  published  in  1878:  Stephen  J.  Scott  was  a  native 
of  Maryland  who  settled  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Michigan 
in  1825.  Being  dissatisfied  with  the  sandy  region  of  western 
Michigan  he  crossed  to  the  western  shore  and  settled  at  Grose 
Point,  now  known  as  Evanston.  There  were  then  no  white 
people  north  of  Peoria,  outside  of  the  garrisons  and  a  few  fam- 
ilies under  the  immediate  protection  of  the  forts.  Chicago 
had  two  or  three  families  of  Indian  traders  outside  of  the  fort. 

Mr.  Scott  while  out  hunting  with  his  son,  Willard,  a  young 
man  of  twenty-one,  came  upon  the  DuPage  River  near  Plain- 
field.  The  beauty  of  the  stream  and  the  adjacent  prairies  and 
groves  impressed  him  and  he  followed  the  stream  upwards 
until  he  came  to  the  place  where  the  two  forks  unite  in  Section 
7.  Attracted  by  the  beauty  of  the  location,  the  fertility  of  the 
prairie  soil,  and  the  convenient  adjacent  timber,  he  left  his 
home  on  the  lake  shore  and,  in  1830,  moved  his  family  into  the 
comfortable  log  house  which  he  had  built. 

William  Scott,  who  came  with  his  father  in  the  hunt,  and 
afterward  settled  with  them  in  the  log-house  home,  had  ac- 
quired a  good  knowledge  of  the  Indian  language  and  under- 
stood the  Indian's  disposition.  He  had  great  influence  with 
the  Pottawatomie  tribe  and  at  a  council  in  the  Big  Woods  in 
1832,  was  largely  instrumental  in  preventing  that  tribe  from 
joining  the  Sacs  (Sauks)  in  their  murderous  war  upon  the 
early  settlers.  Young  Scott  had  been  adopted  into  the  tribe 
and  received  an  Indian  name,  Kish-wash,  an  Eagle.    The  young 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  169 

man  commanded  the  respect  of  the  natives  by  his  honesty  and 
undaunted  bravery.  On  one  of  his  early  hunting  expeditions 
he  wandered  as  far  as  Holdeman's  Grove  in  Grundy  County 
and  there  found  a  wife  in  the  family  of  Hawley. 

Troutman's  Grove,  in  Sections  1  and  12,  in  Channahon 
Township,  was  settled  in  1831  by  Joseph  McCune  and  John 
Troutman,  and  in  1833  by  Robert  Thornburg.  At  this  writing, 
none  of  these  family  names  appear  in  the  titles  to  property  in 
that  part  of  the  township. 

Jedediah  Wooley,  Jr.,  came  in  1831  and  settled  in  Troy  Town- 
ship in  Section  16,  the  southern  part,  on  the  river.  He  com- 
menced a  mill  on  the  river  bank  in  that  year.  The  Sauk  (Sac) 
war  interrupted  the  work  which  was  not  completed  until  1834. 
Rexford  brothers  settled  there  in  1834  and  rented  Wooley's 
Mill.  The  village  of  Troy  remains  in  that  settlement  now 
(1928),  decadent,  but  still  a  village  with  a  little  activity. 

Forked  Creek  runs  through  the  western  part  of  Wesley 
Township,  crosses  the  southwest  corner  of  Florence  Township 
and  passes  through  the  City  of  Wilmington,  to  flow  into  the 
Kankakee  River.  A  group  of  people  from  Virginia  settled 
along  this  creek  as  early  as  1834.  They  needed  wood  and  water 
as  well  as  tillable  land,  so  they  kept  near  the  river.  The  earli- 
est were  John  Frazier,  Hamilton  Keeney,  John  Williams,  Rob- 
ert Kilpatrick,  James  Kelly,  James  Jordan,  John  Howell,  and 
George  Beckwith. 

Thomas  Hatton  and  Richard  Yates  settled  across  the  river 
in  the  present  Township  of  Custer  in  1834.  This  was  some- 
what near  the  French  Settlement  known  as  Bourbonnais  Grove, 
and  therefore  was  not  isolated. 

Five-mile  Grove  in  Sections  7  and  8,  in  Manhattan  Town- 
ship. Mr.  Stevens  settled  here  in  1832  and  Ephraim  and  Ed- 
ward Perkins  came  in  1833.  The  Jones  and  Rudd  families 
came  in  1835.  The  importance  and  influence  of  wood  and  water 
was  much  in  evidence  here.    Five-mile  Grove  was  small  includ- 


170  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ing  not  more  than  forty  acres,  some  of  which  still  remains 
(1928).  The  settlers  avoided  this  part  because  the  prairie  sur- 
rounding the  land  was  already  taken  up. 

Twelve-mile  Grove  covered  something  more  than  one  thou- 
sand acres.  This  attracted  squatters  early.  There  was  good 
water,  good  timber,  and  good  land  for  cultivation  around  it. 
Some  of  the  grove  remains  at  Wallingford,  coming  down  to 
Wilton  Center.  Samuel  Holcomb  settled  there  in  1832  and 
Abram  Huyck  in  1835.  These  names  are  no  longer  listed  among 
the  land-owners  in  that  part,  but  Huyck's  Grove  survives  in 
the  name  of  the  school  which  is  still  known  as  Huyck's  Grove 
School. 

Monee  Township  had  about  two  thousand  acres  of  timber 
in  the  northeast  corner,  and  therefore  had  some  early  settlers. 
In  1834,  J.  S.  Dilly  came  in;  in  1835,  John  M.  Cehase,  N.  C.  Tib- 
bitts,  S.  W.  Cooper,  Nicholas  Young,  and  Rud  Carney;  in  1836, 
S.  W.  Gaines,  Aaron  Bond,  Otis  Philips,  Hollis  Newton,  and  a 
man  named  Hall.  Otis  B.  Philips  opened  the  first  school  in 
1836.  Some  of  these  names  survive  but  most  of  them  have 
been  replaced  by  Germans  who  came  in  some  twenty  or  thirty 
years  later. 

The  earliest  Settlements  have  been  noticed  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Joliet  Township.  The  history  of  Joliet  is  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  history  of  the  township  that  it  may  be  given 
in  that  part  of  this  work.  In  this  part  it  has  been  our  purpose 
to  give  the  early  beginnings  for  convenience  in  reference  as 
well  as  reading.  Each  township  has  a  history  of  its  own  with 
characteristic  features  which  may  not  be  overlooked. 


CHAPTER  X. 


TOWNSHIPS. 


CHANNAHON  TOWNSHIP— CRETE  TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE  OF  CRETE— PIONEER 
DAYS  IN  EASTERN  WILL  COUNTY— CUSTER  TOWNSHIP— DU  PAGE  TOWN- 
SHIP— ROMEO— FLORENCE  TOWNSHIP— FRANKFORT  TOWNSHIP— MOKENA 
—FRANKFORT— GREEN  GARDEN  TOWNSHIP— HOMER  TOWNSHIP— EARLY 
WILL  COUNTY   DAYS — JACKSON   TOWNSHIP— ELWOOD. 

Channahon  Township. — The  history  of  the  townships  is 
taken  most  largely  from  a  "History  of  Will  County"  published 
in  1878,  by  Wm.  Le  Baron,  Jr.,  and  Company.  The  work  on 
the  townships  was  compiled  by  W.  H.  Perrin  and  H.  H.  Hill. 
They  were  near  enough  to  the  first  years  of  our  history  to 
present  the  facts  which  were  obtained  from  people  who  had 
personal  knowledge  of  the  events.  For  convenience  for  refer- 
ence, they  are  given  here  in  alphabetic  order. 

Channahon  Township  borders  on  the  Great  Highway  along 
the  Des  Plaines.  This  region  was  a  favorite  dwelling  place 
for  the  Indians.  Indian  towns  and  villages  were  located  in  this 
vicinity  for  many  generations  before  the  Whites  came.  Mounds 
are  still  found  there,  some  of  which  are  still  undisturbed  by 
White  men.  Excavations  which  have  been  made  across  the 
river  from  Dresden  Heights  have  been  described  in  a  preced- 
ing chapter.  In  this  chapter  we  are  interested  in  the  early 
settlers  and  give  the  accounts  as  found  in  the  book  mentioned 
above. 

"In  that  beautiful  portion  of  our  county  which  lies  between 
the  Des  Plaines  and  Du  Page  rivers,  and  near  the  meeting  of 

171 


172  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  waters,  now  included  in  the  Town  of  Channahon,  some 
settlers  came  as  early  as  1832,  while  the  Indian  still  cultivated 
corn  on  the  bottom  and  fished  along  the  streams.  This  was  a 
favorite  spot  with  them,  and  they  long  lingered  there.  Their 
canoes  passed  up  and  down  the  rivers,  and  in  the  mounds  which 
are  still  distinguishable  they  buried  their  dead.  Somewhere 
near  Treat's  Island  an  Indian  was  buried  as  late  as  1835.  He 
was  placed  in  a  sitting  posture  partly  out  of  the  ground,  and 
a  pen  of  saplings  placed  around  him.  He  is  supposed  to  have 
been  a  chief,  as  the  Indians  passing  up  and  down  always  visited 
his  grave,  and  left  various  articles  upon  it  as  tokens  of  respect. 
A  little  flag  was  also  kept  flying  over  it,  which  was  cared  for 
by  the  Treats.  North  of  Joliet,  the  writer  remembers  to  have 
seen  the  grave  of  an  infant  in  the  top  of  a  tree.  It  consisted 
of  two  hollow  slabs  in  which  the  body  was  placed,  being  fastened 
together  and  to  the  tree  by  strips  of  bark.  Perhaps  it  is  a 
misnomer  to  call  this  a  grave,  and  why  they  thus  disposed  of 
an  infant's  body  we  know  not,  unless  it  was  a  dim  reflection 
of  the  Savior's  words,  'Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  Be- 
lieving that  the  child's  spirit  had  gone  straight  to  the  'happy 
hunting  fields,'  they  placed  the  body  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
sky.  Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Channahon  was  Isaac  Jes- 
sup,  Wm.  E.  Peck,  E.  C.  Fellows,  H.  D.  Risley,  Peter  McCowan, 
Capt.  Willard,  Michael  Morehouse,  Jedediah,  Walter  and  E.  G. 
Eames,  Joseph  N.  Fryer,  Russell  Tryon,  George  Tryon,  'Uncle 
Bont'  Schermerhorn  and  his  four  sons — Peter,  Jacob  B.,  Cor- 
nelius and  Isaac — and  John  Ward.  These  came  in  1832-3-4. 
In  1835,  Dr.  Peter  Schermerhorn,  Joseph  Lewis,  Samuel  Lewis 
and  Dr.  Wm.  Lewis,  Isaac  and  Burke  Van  Alstine,  Wm.  Alt- 
house  and  a  colored  gentleman  for  whom  we  have  never  heard 
any  name  but  'Dick.'  Several  of  these  settlers  were  representa- 
tives of  the  old  Dutch  families  on  the  Hudson,  coming  from 
Schodack  and  vicinity,  and,  like  their  ancestors,  knew  good 
land  when  they  saw  it,  and  then  settled  down  to  stay.    Joseph 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  173 

Davis  and  his  sons  came  in  1836.  Isaac  Jessup,  long  a  promi- 
nent citizen,  died  in  1853,  at  the  age  of  66.  He,  too,  bore  the 
honorable  title  of  Deacon,  and  was  county  treasurer  in  1843-46. 
His  sons  still  perpetuate  his  name.  A  daughter  of  his,  Mrs.  E. 
Jessup  Eames,  had  considerable  reputation  as  a  poetess  some 
years  ago ;  and  another,  Sarah,  who  died  in  1863,  was  not  alto- 
gether unknown  to  local  fame.  H.  D.  Risley  was  from  Salina, 
New  York,  and  being  elected  sheriff  of  the  county  in  1840,  he 
removed  to  the  old  county  jail,  where  he  remained  four  years. 
He  was  also  a  canal  contractor  in  canal  times.  The  Van  Alstines 
are  still  extant  and  residents  of  the  vicinity,  and  so  is  their 
'Nigger  Dick/  the  same  old  sinner  he  was  forty-odd  years  ago. 
There  seems  to  be  little  change  in  him  since  the  time  he  came 
up  to  attend  a  ball  in  1836,  when  his  ox-team  got  wedged  so 
inexplicably  betwen  the  old  Demmond  Block  and  the  precipice 
in  its  rear,  save  that  he  has  grown  a  little  grayer.  Dick  has 
the  honor  of  being  the  first,  and  for  a  long  time  the  only,  rep- 
resentative of  his  race  in  Will  County.  J.  B.  Schermerhorn  was 
county  commissioner  in  the  years  1848-49,  and  supervisor  of 
Channahon  1854-56.  Dr.  Peter  Schermerhorn  was  for  some 
years  a  practicing  physician  in  Channahon  and  vicinity,  and 
afterward  removed  to  Ottawa,  where  he  died.  Wm.  B.  Peck, 
generally  known  as  Judge  Peck,  having  been  a  county  judge 
where  he  came  from  in  the  County  of  Columbia,  State  of  New 
York,  was  a  prominent  man,  something  of  a  politician,  and 
county  commissioner  four  years — 1839-42.  He  died  in  the  year 
1849,  in  the  seventy-first  year  of  his  age.  E.  C.  Fellows,  the 
well  known  lawyer,  and  the  earliest  lawyer  in  the  county,  came 
to  Channahon  at  the  same  time  and  married  a  daughter  of 
Judge  Peck.  He  came  to  Joliet  in  1835.  It  is  but  recently  that 
he  has  deceased.  Of  his  ability  as  a  lawyer,  especially  as  a 
criminal  lawyer,  everybody  in  Will  County  is  well  aware. 
George  Tryon  was  supervisor  of  Channahon  for  the  years  1850- 
52.    E.  H.  Jessup,  one  of  Isaac  Jessup's  sons,  was  supervisor  in 


174  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1862,  and  John  S.  Jessup,  another  son,  represented  in  part  our 
county  in  the  Legislature  in  the  year  1872.  He  was  the  first 
victim  of  minority  representation.  J.  N.  Fryer  has  been  super- 
visor from  1866  down  to  date,  and  perhaps  will  be  as  long  as 
he  lives.  Michael  Morehouse  was  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
born  in  1791,  a  good,  honorable  and  intelligent  man,  who  died 
in  1876. 

Dr.  Knapp  and  George  Tryon  came  together  from  Vermont, 
and  were  the  first  settlers  in  the  part  of  the  town  where  they 
located,  now  on  the  beautiful  'wide  water'  made  by  the  canal, 
and  the  favorite  resort  of  Fourth  of  July  picnics.  The  Indians 
were  dwelling  on  the  bottom  of  the  Des  Plaines,  and  at  a  spot 
across  the  river,  a  little  lower  down,  known  then  as  the  'sugar 
bush/  in  considerable  numbers.  They  were  under  the  super- 
vision of  one  of  old  Bourbonnie's  sons,  a  half-breed.  Seymour 
Treat  and  son  had  settled  at  the  island  still  known  by  his  name, 
in  1833.  The  Treats  were  great  friends  of  the  Indians,  never 
refusing  them  food  or  shelter,  though  their  supplies  were  not 
very  abundant.  The  Indians  held  the  family  in  high  regard, 
and  when  they  received  their  last  annuity,  they  gaye  him  $1,000 
as  a  remembrance,  which  furnished  him  the  means  to  go  on 
with  the  mill  which  he  was  building.  He  had  a  son  and  daugh- 
ter. The  son  was  known  as  Dr.  Treat.  The  mill  was  built  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  island.  The  Indians  were  friendly  to  the 
early  settlers,  and  never  troublesome  unless  they  had  drunk 
too  much  firewater.  They  called  this  liquid  good-na-tosh — 
clearly  a  misnomer.  As  the  settlers  were  not  familiar  with  the 
Indian  language,  they  had  to  resort  largely  to  the  natural  lan- 
guage of  signs,  at  which  the  Indians  are  as  expert  as  the  deaf- 
mutes.  Dr.  Knapp  tells  an  amusing  story  as  to  how  an  Indian 
tried  to  make  him  understand  what  he  meant  when  he  wanted 
to  sell  him  some  'ho-mo-sis-paw-quet' — that  is,  bee-sugar  or 
honey.  This  is  a  story  that  can't  be  told  except  in  pantomime, 
and  nobody  can  do  it  justice  but  the  doctor.    If  you  ever  see 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  175 

him,  get  him  to  tell  it.  It  is  the  best  specimen  of  pantomime 
we  ever  saw." 

"The  village  of  Channahon  was  laid  out  by  the  Canal  Trus- 
tees by  whom  it  was  named  Snifton  after  one  of  their  number. 
Through  the  influence  of  Judge  Pack  it  was  changed  to  Channa- 
hon— an  Indian  word,  which  means,  the  meeting  of  the  waters 
— a  beautiful  and  appropriate  name." — From  Forty  Years  Ago. 

The  early  history  of  Channahon  Township  as  well  as  that 
of  all  other  townships  in  the  county  is  taken  most  largely  from 
the  history  which  was  written  in  1878.  The  two  men  who 
wrote  it,  W.  H.  Perrin  and  H.  H.  Hill,  were  good  students  and 
careful  writers.  They  had  first-hand  information  from  the 
early  settlers  who  were  alive  at  that  time.  No  better  record 
could  be  found  then  there.  The  later  history  contains  less  of 
vital  interest  because  pioneers  always  have  the  adventure  which 
adds  so  much  to  history. 

The  present  site  of  the  village  of  Channahon  was  the  site 
of  an  Indian  town  of  some  considerable  size  (1,000)  for  many 
years.  The  excavations  which  have  been  recorded  in  an  earlier 
chapter  indicates  that  the  Aborigines  had  residence  there  for 
a  long  time.  It  was  perfectly  natural  that  the  white  people 
should  settle  there  when  they  came.  The  opening  of  the  canal 
brought  transportation  without  which  no  community  can  pros- 
per very  long.  For  many  years  preceding  1918,  the  village 
of  Channahon  was  decadent.  But  the  building  of  the  concrete 
road,  Route  7,  brought  quick  and  easy  travel  through  the  town 
and  revived  it  to  a  great  extent.  It  had  become  decadent  be- 
cause the  Rock  Island  Railroad  did  not  go  through  the  town 
and  because  the  coming  of  the  railroads  made  the  canal  of 
little  value.  Perhaps  the  Deep  Waterway  may  add  to  its 
growth.  More  of  the  timber  remains  about  Channahon  than 
any  other  one  section  of  the  county.  The  rough  land  was  not 
of  very  much  use  for  agriculture  and  therefore  the  timber  was 
allowed  to  remain.    During  the  past  year,  timber  wolves  have 


176  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

been  seen  in  the  vicinity.  This  variety  seems  to  come  from 
the  timbered  region  of  Wisconsin  in  the  severe  weather  of 
winter.  For  several  years  a  few  specimens  have  been  taken 
each  year.  Other  wild  animals  of  any  size  do  not  remain. 
Cotton  tails,  woodchucks,  oppossum,  are  still  found  to  some 
extent. 

Much  of  the  land  is  too  shallow  for  farming.  Several  sec- 
tions have  no  value  excepting  for  pasture  and  it  is  not  of  much 
use  unless  the  season  is  wet.  All  of  the  tillable  land  has  been 
drained  and  is  cultivated  successfully.  Modern  machinery  in- 
cluding tractors,  gang  plows,  disc-harrows,  combines  which 
cut  the  grain,  thresh  it,  and  deliver  it  into  the  wagon  ready 
for  the  bin,  and  at  the  same  time  scatter  the  straw  ready  for 
the  plow,  are  coming  into  use.  Truck  farms  are  found  in  the 
bottom  land  near  the  canal  and  the  river.  Wonderful  crops  are 
taken  from  these  farms  by  the  industrious  people  who  operate 
them.  During  the  last  three  or  four  years  this  line  of  farming 
has  passed  almost  entirely  into  the  hands  of  Greeks  and  Ital- 
ians. They  are  successful  farmers  because  they  know  the  work 
and  are  industrious,  usually  having  a  family  of  children  to  as- 
sist in  the  work.  These  farms  have  been  made  possible  by  the 
concrete  road  which  make  it  easy  for  them  to  take  their  pro- 
duce to  the  Chicago  market  in  motor  trucks  in  a  few  hours. 
Much  of  the  produce  of  these  farms  is  sold  along  the  highway 
to  the  people  who  pass  in  automobiles. 

Millsdale  is  a  freight  station  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  and 
is  of  importance  because  it  is  a  feeding  station  for  sheep  and 
cattle  bound  for  the  Chicago  market.  Mr.  Arthur  Mills  who 
owns  the  large  farm  surrounding  this  station  operates  this 
feeding  station  at  a  good  profit.  He  raises  alfalfa  upon  his 
land  and  sells  it  to  the  people  who  unload  their  stock  to  be  fed 
at  his  station.  Sheep  are  frequently  held  here  to  await  a  better 
market  at  the  Union  Stockyards  at  Chicago.     They  can  be 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  177 

rushed  to  the  market  on  short  notice  when  word  comes  that 
the  prices  are  right. 

Channahon,  thirty  and  forty  years  ago,  was  noted  for  its 
good  school.  It  maintained  what  would  be  called  a  high  school, 
as  early  as  forty-five  years  ago.  The  school  building  was  a  two- 
story  structure  of  the  usual  type  built  in  those  times.  Two 
floors  and  two  rooms  with  a  narrow  stairway  for  entrance  and 
exit.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1922.  It  was  re- 
placed by  a  four-room  building  built  on  the  ground  floor  plan 
with  an  assembly  hall  between  two  pairs  of  rooms  in  either  end. 
It  is  of  brick  construction,  fire  proof  throughout,  modern  in 
every  way.  There  are  four  teachers  under  the  supervision  of 
W.  G.  Smith.  Mr.  Smith  teaches  a  two-year  high  school  which 
accommodates  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  neighborhood  who  can 
not  afford  to  travel  to  the  larger  schools  farther  away.  After 
they  have  finished  two  years  here  most  of  them  are  able  to 
complete  the  four  year  course  in  the  Joliet  Township  School. 
There  are  three  teachers  in  the  grades  doing  excellent  work. 
Channahon  schools  are  as  good  as  any  of  the  schools  in  Will 
County. 

Channahon  had  a  Methodist  Church  which  was  built  years 
ago  and  maintained  with  more  or  less  success  through  all  the 
year.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  which  was  started 
by  lightning  in  1925.  It  was  replaced  by  a  new  building  of 
brick,  a  pleasing  edifice  which  will  seat  350  people.  The  services 
are  maintained  in  this  regularly  by  the  Methodists. 

The  entire  township  is  served  with  telephones  and  rural  de- 
livery bringing  all  of  these  comforts  to  the  farmers  as  well  as 
the  people  in  the  Township.  These  together  with  the  radios 
which  are  found  in  almost  every  home  bring  them  in  imme- 
diate touch  with  the  affairs  of  the  outside  world.  The  farmers 
are  no  longer  secluded.  The  influence  with  this  contact  with 
the  outer  world  is  shown  in  the  homes  of  the  people  which 
contain  modern  conveniences  throughout. 

12— VOL.  1 


178  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Crete  Township. — The  first  settlements  in  Crete  Township 
were  in  Thorn  Grove  in  the  northwest  corner.  In  1833-34, 
Major  Price,  Wm.  Osborn  and  Asa  Dade  settled  there;  in  1835- 
36,  Minoris  Beebe,  Shipman  Frank,  Inartus  Marsh  and  four 
sons  (Jonathon,  Edwin,  Horatio  and  Henry),  James  L.  Dean, 
Wm.  Bryant,  J.  Stalcop,  William  R.  Starr,  Willard  Wood,  Dea- 
con Samuel  Cushing,  Norman  Northrop,  John  H.  Bennett, 
Moses  H.  Cook,  Henry  Milliken,  Charles  Wood,  Hazen  Adams, 
John  Kyle  and  son,  Enoch  Dodge,  Henry  Ayers,  David  Haner, 
John  E.  Hewes  and  J.  W.  Safford. 

These  were  the  first  comers  in  eastern  Will  County.  Twenty 
years  elapsed  before  other  settlers  came.  By  that  time  rail- 
roads were  built  and  the  land  was  taken  up  rapidly. 

Since  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  was  settled  largely 
by  Germans,  one  has  a  desire  to  know  what  prompted  them  to 
leave  the  fatherland.  Emigration  from  Germany  occurred  in 
small  numbers  to  Germantown,  Pennsylvania,  in  1683.  A  larger 
exodus  took  place  from  1700  to  1710,  due  to  the  influence  of 
William  Penn,  who  visited  the  Rhine  Valley  and  offered  in- 
ducements to  go  to  America.  In  1807,  a  larger  migration  was 
made.  Many  Germans  whose  property  had  been  confiscated 
sought  refuge  in  America  and  indentured  themselves  to  set- 
tlers to  pay  their  passage.  Ship  captains  took  chances  in  bring- 
ing them  over  and  auctioned  them  off  to  the  settlers  in  pay- 
ment for  transportation.  Being  sure  of  employment,  they  came 
freely.  They  worked  out  their  freedom  and  then  worked  out 
their  farms  by  clearing  the  forests  away.  In  1749-54,  about 
two  thousand  landed  in  America. 

The  immigration  to  the  Mississippi  Valley  began  in  1833. 
This  exodus  was  much  larger  and  was  caused  by  more  forceful 
influences.  From  the  time  of  Napoleon  down  to  1848,  the  gov- 
ernment of  Germany  was  despotic,  supporting  an  established 
church.  The  great  revolution  of  1848  grew  out  of  the  education 
of  a  class  of  liberals.    German  universities  developed  rapidly  in 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  179 

those  fifty  years  and  the  better  informed  sought  more  freedom 
in  government.  When  the  revolution  failed,  many  of  these  lib- 
erals left  the  country.  They  sought  refuge  in  America  and 
brought  in  liberalism  in  politics  as  well  as  religion.  This  group 
settled  in  cities. 

Soon  after  this  the  peasant  class  came  out  of  the  fatherland 
to  escape  military  service.  They  were  found  in  large  numbers 
in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war.  They  were  ready  to 
fight  when  it  meant  freedom  for  themselves  rather  than  the 
promotion  of  the  welfare  of  some  prince  in  Germany. 

These  imigrants  were  men  of  thrift  who  set  about  making 
homes  for  themselves.  They  were  liberty-loving  people.  They 
were  patient  and  industrious.  They  were  of  high  character 
and  came  where  they  might  find  material  prosperity  and  free- 
dom to  think  for  themselves. 

Route  1  of  the  Illinois  Highway  extends  through  Crete. 
This  is  known  as  the  Dixie  Highway.  It  was  the  first  concrete 
road  built  in  Illinois.  It  has  brought  prosperity  to  the  town  of 
Crete  and  its  development  has  been  very  rapid  during  the  last 
five  years.  This  prosperity  is  manifested  by  the  building  of 
many  beautiful  homes,  by  the  extension  of  the  city  limits  and 
improvements  of  the  streets.  The  rise  in  value  of  real  estate 
is  an  excellent  evidence  of  its  growing  importance. 

South  of  the  village  of  Crete  is  the  Lincoln  Fields,  the  most 
luxurious  race  track  in  the  United  States,  built  during  1925-26- 
27,  at  an  expense  of  more  than  two  millions  of  dollars.  The 
Dixie  Highway  was  widened  to  double  width  to  accommodate 
the  large  numbers  who  attend  these  races. 

East  of  Crete  is  the  Lincolnshire  Country  Club,  which  is  a 
real  estate  project  of  real  merit.  At  this  writing  (1928)  the 
golf  course  is  half  completed.  Residence  lots  have  been  sold 
in  large  numbers.  Much  money  has  been  expended  to  develop 
the  prosperity  of  the  village  and  it  bids  fair  to  become  an  im- 
portant and  extensive  suburb  of  Chicago. 


180  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  account  of  the  early  history  of  Crete  Township  as  given 
in  the  preceding  paragraphs  shows  that  it  was  settled  early 
by  eastern  people.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  it  was  near 
the  Indian  trail  which  became  the  highway  for  prairie 
schooners  and  later  the  Lincoln  Highway.  Here  again,  trans-, 
portation  was  an  important  cause.  The  building  of  the  rail- 
road about  1858,  increased  the  facilities  for  moving  in  and  out, 
and  the  township  settled  up  rapidly. 

The  Dixie  Highway  is  Route  1  of  the  Illinois  Highway  sys- 
tem. Number  1  shows  that  it  was  the  first  concrete  road  con- 
structed. Upon  it  traffic  is  always  heavy  and  exceedingly  con- 
gested on  Sundays  and  holidays.  It  enters  the  township  on  the 
edge  of  Section  5,  and  goes  southward,  bearing  slightly  to  the 
east.  During  this  year  it  has  been  made  double-width  from 
Crete  northward,  to  accommodate  the  heavy  traffic  which  comes 
to  the  Lincoln  Fields  Jockey  Club.  The  township  is  also  well 
supplied  with  stone  roads  east  and  west,  giving  good  access 
to  the  concrete  road.  These  good  roads  have  increased  the  in- 
dustry of  the  entire  township. 

Forty  years  ago,  Crete  Township  was  devoted  quite  largely 
to  the  raising  of  beef  cattle.  The  Baker  farm  at"  Goodenow 
Station  was  the  mecca  for  all  Hereford  buyers.  The  eastern 
part  of  the  township  at  that  time  was  owned  by  Chicago  men 
who  operated  stock  farms  on  which  they  raised  the  white  faces. 
It  was  a  flourishing  industry.  One  six-months-old  calf  sold  for 
a  thousand  dollars.  This  set  everyone  on  fire  with  enthusiasm 
for  this  breed.  Many  farmers  mortgaged  their  farms  to  buy  a 
half  a  dozen  head  to  start  a  herd. 

Immediately  prices  began  to  fall  and  many  of  these  farmers 
never  succeeded  in  paying  off  the  mortgages.  The  Chicago 
people  abandoned  what  had  been  but  a  mere  pastime  for  them. 
The  Baker  farm  still  continues  to  raise  Hereford  cattle  of  the 
very  best  type.  The  management  makes  it  pay  very  well, 
indeed. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  181 

The  remainder  of  the  township  is  devoted  very  largely  to 
the  dairy  business,  because  good  roads  make  it  possible  for  the 
milk  trucks  to  pick  up  their  products  at  convenient  points.  This 
has  brought  prosperity  to  the  farmers  throughout  the  town- 
ship. 

The  grain  is  raised  in  large  quantities.  The  yield  per  acre 
is  very  good.  Much  of  the  grain  is  fed  at  home.  The  remainder 
finds  a  ready  market  at  Lincoln  Fields  as  well  as  at  the  ele- 
vators at  the  stations  along  the  railroads. 

The  farming  is  carried  on  as  in  other  townships  with  the 
latest  improvements,  machinery,  tractors,  gang  plows,  disk 
harrows,  as  well  as  binders  and  in  some  cases  combines  which 
harvest  and  thresh  at  the  same  time.  Every  farmer  has  his 
own  automobile  and  his  family  no  longer  is  confined  to  the 
farm  home.    This  has  brought  a  broadening  in  the  lives  of  all. 

The  Village  of  Crete  is  a  thriving  town  and  promises  soon 
to  become  a  city.  During  the  past  four  years,  many  new  homes 
have  been  built  under  the  direction  of  the  most  important  real 
estate  dealer,  Fred  B.  Rohe.  He  has  the  vision  for  the  future 
and  faith  in  his  fellow  men  which  foresee  a  city.  He  is  a 
leader  in  the  community  and  does  much  to  develop  it  as  well  as 
the  neighborhood  around.  East  of  Crete  is  the  Lincolnshire 
Country  Club,  of  which  the  golf  course  is  about  completed. 
Surrounding  this  golf  club  are  home-sites  which  are  being  taken 
up  rapidly.  It  is  a  beautiful  country  with  forests  and  prairies, 
hills  and  streams,  together  with  level  areas  which  will  make  it  a 
beautiful  residence  section.  At  this  writing  the  future  of  Crete 
is  very  promising  indeed.  The  school  house  which  was  built 
in  1870  was  re-modeled  in  1923  into  a  four  room  building- 
modern  in  every  detail.  In  it  were  four  teachers  taking  care  of 
two  grades  in  each  room.  It  was  one  of  the  best  village  schools 
in  the  county.  This  summer  (1928),  this  school  house  was 
burned  to  the  ground.  Preparations  were  made  at  once  to  re- 
build.   The  people  voted  a  bond  issue  of  $65,000  without  a  dis- 


182  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

senting  vote.  Plans  have  been  made  and  excavations  have  be- 
gun for  a  six-room  building  with  a  gymnasium  attached.  It 
is  a  ground  floor  plan  with  all  of  the  rooms  opening  on  the 
ground  floor  outside  as  well  as  to  the  corridors  which  lead  to* 
the  gymnasium. 

The  German  Lutheran  school  which  has  been  maintained 
for  many  years  in  the  village  was  held  in  one  room  of  the  pub- 
lic school  building  until  1921.  In  that  year  they  built  a  modern 
building  of  brick  in  which  they  have  their  school  at  the  present 
time.  Professor  Edward  Stelter  has  had  charge  of  the  school 
for  several  years.  He  is  an  able  teacher  and  conducts  a  very 
good  school.  During  this  year  he  plans  to  move  to  Chicago  and 
his  position  in  Crete  will  be  filled  by  another. 

Goodenow  Village,  which  started  when  an  elevator  was  built 
to  receive  grain,  remains  about  as  it  was  40  years  ago  with  a 
store,  a  garage,  a  lumber  yard,  an  elevator  and  a  post  office, 
together  with  the  homes  in  which  the  men  who  operate  them 
live.  John  Bahlman  conducts  a  general  store  in  which  one  may 
buy  anything  he  needs  at  a  reasonable  price.  The  grain  comes 
in  smaller  quantities  than  formerly,  because  much  of  the  pro- 
duce of  the  farm  is  fed  to  the  live  stock.  However,  the  sale  of 
stock  feed  has  made  it  possible  for  the  elevator  man  to  do  a 
good  business. 

South  of  Crete  about  a  mile  and  a  half  is  located  the  Lincoln 
Fields  Jockey  Club.  This  was  built  in  1925-26,  at  a  cost  of 
two  and  one-half  thousands  of  dollars.  It  is  the  most  modern 
and  complete  race  course  in  the  United  States.  The  capacity  of 
the  stand  is  very  large  and  hundreds  of  horses  are  in  training 
continually  on  its  tracks.  Thousands  of  Chicago  people  are 
found  in  attendance  at  the  races.  Automobiles  are  parked  by 
the  acre,  thousands  of  them  being  there  every  day.  It  is  a 
thriving  institution  and  during  the  three  years  in  which  it  has 
been  operated  no  report  of  trouble  has  been  heard.  Its  patrons 
seem  to  come  filled  with  hope  and  go  away  happy,  thinking  that 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  183 

they  have  had  a  good  time.  Meanwhile,  the  institution  pros- 
pers, bringing  much  money  to  the  promoters. 

"Pioneer  Days  in  Eastern  Will  County."— By  E.  P.  Farrell— 

Born  in  one  of  the  pioneer  farm  houses  near  the  big  timber  one 
mile  west  of  Crete,  my  earliest  recollections  bring  to  mind  big 
snows,  howling  wolves,  long  winters,  and  delightful  summers. 
This  was  about  three  score  and  ten  years  ago.  At  that  time  the 
great  fertile  sheet  of  untouched  prairie  land  lying  between  the 
Indiana  state  line  and  the  Illinois  Central  right-of-way,  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Cook  County  and  the  timber  line,  and  on  the 
south  by  the  Kankakee  River,  was  a  sight  once  seen,  never  to 
be  forgotten. 

Here  upon  the  prairie  and  in  the  bordering  timber  were 
wolves,  foxes,  squirrels,  rabbits,  raccoons,  and  now  and  then  a 
stray  deer,  wildcat  or  bear,  the  latter  generally  a  rambler  from 
the  Michigan  woods.  Nor  would  I  forget  the  beautiful  striped 
"kitty"  who  nightly  sought  the  hen  roosts  and  made  his  pres- 
ence known  by  a  strong  pungent  odor  on  the  night  air.  These 
animals  were  either  trapped  or  shot,  some  for  food  but  the 
greater  number  for  their  pelts. 

On  the  prairie  was  the  home  and  feeding  ground  of  tens  of 
thousands  of  wild  geese,  ducks,  brants,  cranes,  plovers,  quail, 
and  prairie  chicken.  For  a  number  of  years  early  settlers  lived 
well  on  wild  game.  One  could  stand  by  his  cabin  door  and  shoot 
to  his  heart's  delight.  Not  only  did  the  ducks  and  geese  furnish 
food  in  abundance  but  every  settler  gloried  in  huge  feather 
beds  and  fluffy  pillows  filled  with  the  choicest  of  feathers. 
Mother  had  six  of  these  beds,  all  from  wild  feathers. 

The  prairie  rattlesnake  was  found  in  many  places  and  was 
to  be  feared.  He  was  no  respector  of  either  man  or  animal. 
His  bite  was  quickly  followed  by  copious  doses  from  some 
neighborly  whiskey  jug.  If  the  victim  survived  the  drink  he 
got  well;  if  not,  he  died  of  the  snake  bite. 


184  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  section  referred  to  above  was  practically  unsettled.  As 
far  as  the  eye  could  see  there  was  naught  but  great  billows  of 
waving  prairie  grass  as  the  soft  winds  swept  over  the  bosom  of 
this  virgin  region.  Here  and  there  could  be  seen  beautiful 
patches  of  prairie  flowers  sentineled  by  an  imposing  array  of 
tall  gumweeds.  These  gum  stalks  were  as  provident  to  us  chil- 
dren in  that  day  as  the  Wrigley  building  is  today  to  those  who 
are  members  of  the  worlds  great  gum  chewing  brigade.  In 
early  fall  we  trooped  across  the  prairie  snapping  the  tops  of  the 
stalks  that  the  sap  might  ooze  out,  and  in  about  ten  days  return 
to  pick,  masticate  and  pack  our  winter's  supply  of  chewing 
gum.    This  was  generally  packed  in  empty  wooden  pill  boxes. 

As  to  industries  in  the  home,  everything  was  hand  made  at 
home.  Mother  had  her  spinning  wheel  and  her  loom-spinning, 
weaving  and  tailoring  was  a  home  industry.  Once  a  year  cheese 
was  made  in  the  old  washboiler,  and  how  the  children  of  that 
day  looked  forward  to  eating  some  of  the  thick  curd  caused  by 
the  cooking  process.  For  lights  the  candle  moulds  were  gotten 
out  in  early  fall  and  dozens  and  dozens  of  candles  were  made 
that  we  might  have  lights  during  the  long  winter  hours. 

The  winters  in  the  early  sixties  were  very  severe  and  the 
snow  falls  heavy.  Coal  and  patent  heating  plants  were  un- 
known. It  was  go  to  the  woods  and  bring  home  your  fuel.  So 
severe  was  one  winter  that  stock  was  known  to  freeze  while  in 
their  stalls.  Men  went  out  and  brought  in  whole  coveys  of 
quail  and  prairie  chickens  frozen  stiff.  Women  went  about 
their  house  work  with  heavy  woolen  shawls  tightly  drawn  over 
their  shoulders  while  men  sucked  away  with  a  vengeance  at 
their  corn  cob  pipes  trying  to  keep  ice  from  forming  on  the  end 
of  their  noses.  By  the  way,  tobacco  came  packed  in  barrels, 
and  was  not  made  of  cabbage  leaves  and  beet  tops. 

Modern  labor  saving  implements  had  not  appeared.  It  was 
cradle  your  grain  and  scythe  your  grass.  The  old  water  jug  al- 
ways went  along  with  the  scythe,  and  how  refreshing  the  water 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  185 

was.  To  take  a  drink  one  inserted  his  two  first  fingers  of  the 
left  hand  in  the  handle  of  the  jug,  swung  the  jug  on  to  the 
elbow,  raised  it  skyward,  and  no  sweeter  music  was  ever  heard 
than  the  gurgle  of  that  water  as  it  went  out  of  the  jug  and  down 
a  parched  throat.  The  old  fashioned  flail  is  now  a  rare  curios- 
ity. Right  well  do  I  remember  a  terrific  whack  I  received  on  my 
head  while  trying  to  handle  this  crude  threshing  machine. 
Farmers  were  up  before  daylight  and  often  labored  long  into 
the  night. 

After  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  shanties  began  to  appear 
here  and  there,  and  during  the  seventies  the  last  open  section 
of  land  was  occupied  and  worked.  This  section  was  in  the 
central  southern  part  of  Will  Township  and  was  owned  by 
Conrad  Tatge,  once  county  clerk.  Before  the  sections  were 
closed  stock  had  the  choicest  of  grazing  and  the  farmer  had 
his  pick  of  the  richest  grass  for  winter  feed.  In  that  early  day 
a  queer  custom  developed.  Any  settler  could  go  out  into  the 
open  spaces  in  early  summer,  select  and  cut  around  the  grass 
he  desired  for  later  use.  There  was  an  unwritten  law  kept 
sacred  among  early  settlers  that  the  grass  chosen  belonged  to 
the  one  making  the  mark  around  it.  That  law  was  never  vio- 
lated and  can  be  held  up  today  in  strong  contrast  with  the  laws 
written  and  never  kept.  As  grain  was  hard  to  market  and  the 
price  low,  farmers  took  to  stock  raising.  As  the  grazing 
ground  disappeared  the  herder  appeared.  His  business  was 
to  round  up  early  in  the  spring,  all  the  young  stock  into  one 
great  herd,  drive  it  down  into  the  big  swamp  lands  near  Mom- 
ence  and  there  let  them  graze  until  frost  demanded  that  they 
be  driven  home.  The  total  cost  per  head  for  the  entire  season 
was  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents.  The  cattle  came  home 
in  good  condition,  were  grain  fed  for  about  two  months  and 
then  shipped  to  Chicago  to  market.  East  of  Peotone  in  1871, 
some  of  the  best  prairie  farm  land  in  Illinois  could  be  bought  at 
sixteen  dollars  per  acre.    Within  the  last  few  years  some  of  this 


186  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

land  has  sold  under  the  auctioneer's  hammer  at  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  per  acre. 

Referring  back  to  the  early  days,  the  prairie  was  dotted  with 
numerous  ponds  and  sloughs,  the  home  of  millions  of  mosqui- 
toes. Malaria  and  ague  combined  made  life  for  many  scarcely 
worth  the  living.  However,  soon  there  came  a  wonderful 
remedy  in  the  shape  of  tile  draining.  Under  it  the  ponds  dis- 
appeared, sloughs  became  rich  farm  land  and  ague  and  its 
attendant  evils  were  destroyed.  Upland  prairie  hay,  that 
choice  food  for  stock,  is  known  in  Northern  Illinois  no  more. 
Yet,  at  one  time  a  companion  and  myself  standing  on  a  small 
elevation  East  of  Peotone  counted  over  two  hundred  large 
stacks  of  this  choice  hay,  all  cut  from  land  that  had  never 
known  a  plow. 

Eastern  Will  County  was  first  settled  by  the  pioneering  Yan- 
kees. A  little  later  came  English,  German,  and  Irish  settlers,  the 
Germans  finally  outnumbering  all  other  nationalities,  and  to- 
day their  descendants  are  there,  wealthy,  law-abiding,  staunch 
American  citizens.  Crete  was  where  the  first  torch  of  civiliza- 
tion flared  forth  in  Eastern  Will  County.  Here  came  the  hardy 
Easterner  after  a  long  tedious  journey  by  ox  and  covered 
wagon,  and  here  he  and  his  posterity  remained  and  are  known 
to  this  day. 

In  1869,  Peotone  was  a  little  one  street  station.  Its  chief 
attraction  was  saloons,  beer  kegs,  flies,  and  mosquitoes.  A 
grain  market  was  established  and  the  farmer  began  hauling  his 
products  to  town.  Soon  however,  he  discovered  that  when  the 
grain  was  delivered  the  driver  oftimes  proceeded  to  get  glori- 
ously drunk.  This  fact  soon  changed  a  lot  of  the  marketing  to 
other  points.  Then,  all  at  once  like  a  flash  of  lightning  from  a 
clear  sky,  came  a  temperance  wave  into  Peotone.  City  election 
followed  close,  and  upon  count  of  the  ballots  cast  a  majority 
of  one  was  found  in  favor  of  temperance.    That  ballot  was  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  187 

magic  wand  that  brought  forth  a  new  Era.  During  the  seven 
following  years,  filth,  degradation,  and  pauperism  disappeared. 
The  people  became  inspired  with  a  new  and  higher  idea.  Their 
great  aim  was  to  make  a  model  city  out  of  their  home  town. 
This  was  accomplished,  for  today  there  is  not  a  city  in  Illinois 
of  like  population  that  ranks  higher  in  schools,  churches,  fine 
buildings,  and  staunch  and  worthy  citizens.  Who  has  not  heard 
of  Peotone,  the  spotless  town?  To  be  a  resident  of  Peotone 
gives  one  a  high  class  rating  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  Illinois. 

Another  early  attraction,  long  since  torn  down,  was  the  tall 
towers  erected  at  the  time  Illinois  was  being  surveyed.  One 
stood  south  of  Monee,  another  in  Washington  Township,  one  in 
Green  Garden  Township,  and  a  fourth  near  Manteno.  The  old 
Dutch  wind-mills,  one  in  Monee,  one  near  Washington,  one  in 
Bremen,  and  one  in  Peotone,  were  visible  for  miles  around.  The 
one  in  Peotone,  minus  its  long  arms,  is  still  grinding  away  but 
under  a  new  power.  These  mills  were  of  Holland  type  and  their 
giant  wings  revolving  in  the  sky  seemed  to  be  living  factors 
beckoning  civilization  to  the  rich  prairie  lands  of  Eastern  Will 
County.  The  towers,  the  grist  mills,  and  the  early  settlers  are 
no  more,  but  some  of  the  progeny  of  those  hardy  pioneers  still 
live,  an  honor  to  their  parentage  and  the  county  in  which  they 
live. 

Although  much  is  left  unwritten,  yet  I  would  not  close  this 
article  without  paying  tribute  to  the  "boys  in  blue"  who  rushed 
to  the  defense  of  our  flag  in  '61.  Every  cemetery  in  Eastern 
Will  County  contains  honored  graves  where  sleep  these  valiant 
ones.  Others  died  amid  the  horrors  of  Andersonville,  and  other 
southern  prisons.  Those  that  came  home  helped  to  develop  the 
country  ere  they  too  laid  aside  life's  burden.  The  once  strong 
G.  A.  R.  Post  at  Peotone  is  no  more.  In  all  reverence  let  us  un- 
cover as  the  flag  rests  at  half  mast. 


188  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Custer  Township  came  into  existence  in  1875,  when  it  was 
separated  from  Reed  Township,  which  had  included  all  of  that 
part  of  Will  County  which  is  now  included  in  Reed  and  Custer 
townships.  The  first  settlement  within  the  present  bounds  of 
this  township  was  made  in  1834  by  Thomas  Hatton  and  Richard 
Yates.  The  region  from  the  present  village  of  Custer  Park 
eastward,  along  the  Kankakee  River  was  occupied  for  many 
generations  by  the  Indians  who  had  towns  in  this  region.  Far- 
ther up  the  river  beyond  the  boundary  of  Will  County  was  a 
French  settlement,  which  is  still  known  as  Bourbonnais.  It 
is  a  city  of  about  three  thousand  people.  The  history  of  this 
township  is  so  intimately  connected  with  Reed  Township  that 
it  may  well  be  given  in  connection  with  that. 

Custer  Township  has  prospered  because  transportation  has 
improved.  This  may  be  said  perhaps  of  every  township  in  the 
county.  A  concrete  road  is  being  built  from  Wilmington  to 
Kankakee  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  following  the  general 
course  of  the  stream  throughout.  Another  road  is  being  built 
this  summer  from  Kankakee  to  Wilmington  upon  the  north 
side  of  the  stream.  Both  of  these  roads  will  bring  summer 
residents  to  both  sides  of  the  stream.  The  village  of  Custer 
remains  about  the  same  size  that  it  was  forty  years  ago.  Busi- 
ness, however,  in  the  grocery  stores,  the  oil  stations,  and  the 
garage,  is  much  better  during  the  summer  months  because  of 
the  summer  residents.  Many  summer  homes  are  built  along 
the  Kankakee  to  the  east  and  to  the  west  of  the  village.  Thus 
it  is  that  this  section  of  the  county  is  being  taken  up  rapidly 
by  these  transients.  They  find  relief  here  from  the  congested 
regions  of  Chicago.  The  concrete  roads  make  it  possible  to 
reach  the  village  easily. 

The  farmers  who  have  been  struggling  upon  their  farms 
which  have  thin  soil  will  share  in  the  prosperity  of  the  village 
because  they  will  find  a  market  for  poultry  and  produce  which 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  189 

they  did  not  have  before.   Large  quantities  of  melons  are  raised 
because  the  sandy  soil  makes  it  possible  to  secure  good  crops. 

The  village  school  has  been  maintained  in  a  one-room  build- 
ing for  several  years.  The  building  is  an  old  structure  which 
was  moved  in  from  two  miles  south  in  1922.  It  has  outlived 
its  usefulness  and  this  summer  a  new  building  is  being  con- 
structed, modern  in  every  detail,  to  give  the  children  the  ad- 
vantages which  they  deserve. 

Du  Page  Township. — The  winter  of  the  "deep  snow"  found 
a  family  or  two  in  Du  Page  Township.  In  Central  and  North- 
ern Illinois,  the  deep  snow  is  a  chronological  event,  from  which 
the  old  settlers  who  witnessed  it  date  all  important  items  in 
their  history.  There  are  at  this  date,  however,  very  few  left 
who  witnessed  that  great  fall  of  snow,  which  occurred  in  the 
winter  of  1830-31,  almost  half  a  century  ago.  Occasionally 
we  meet  one  who  experienced  the  privations  incident  to  four 
feet  of  snow  for  two  months,  which  was  the  depth  of  this  "great 
white  carpet"  we  have  so  often  been  called  upon  to  notice.  To 
tell  of  all  the  sufferings  and  trials  of  the  few  who  bore  the 
brunt  of  that  snowstorm  in  this  section  of  the  country,  would 
be  to  repeat  an  "oft-told  tale."  We  forbear.  As  stated  above, 
there  were  a  few  families  here  that  winter.  Pierce  Hawley, 
Stephen  J.  Scott  and  his  son,  Willard  Scott,  and  Ralph  Stowell 
came  to  this  township  in  the  fall  of  1830  and  settled  in  the 
grove  of  timber  bordering  the  Du  Page  River.  Hawley  was 
originally  from  Vermont,  but  first  settled,  after  coming  to  the 
country,  in  Sangamon  County,  then  embracing  nearly  half  of 
the  state.  Later,  he  removed  to  Holdeman's  Grove,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1830,  settled  in  this  township,  as  noted.  The  Scotts  came 
from  Baltimore,  the  "Monumental  City  of  the  East,"  and  set- 
tled, upon  their  arrival  in  Illinois,  at  Grose's  Point  (now  Evans- 
ton),  and  in  the  fall  of  1830,  came  to  Du  Page  Township.    The 


190  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

elder  Scott  went  to  California  during  the  gold  fever  of  1849 
and  1850,  by  the  overland  route;  was  seventy  years  of  age  at 
the  time  of  his  going,  and  died  in  the  Golden  State.  His  oldest 
son,  Willis  Scott,  who  came  to  the  settlement  two  years  later, 
lives  in  Chicago;  and  the  other  son,  Willard  Scott,  who  came 
with  his  father,  is  a  prosperous  merchant  and  banker  in  Naper- 
ville.  Stowell  came  from  Ohio  here;  but  whether  that  was  his 
native  state  or  not,  we  are  unable  to  say.  He  settled  where 
Glover  now  lives,  and  afterward  moved  down  on  Fox  River. 
He  died  several  years  ago.  These  were  the  families  that  waded 
through  the  deep  snow  of  1830-31,  in  this  township. 

In  1831,  the  settlement  was  increased  by  the  arrival  of  Israel 
P.  Blodgett,  Robert  Strong,  John  Dudley,  Harry  Boardman, 
Rev.  Isaac  Scarritt  and  Lester  Peet.  Blodgett  came  from  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  settled  where  Royce  now  lives.  He  was  the 
father  of  Judge  Blodgett,  of  Chicago.  The  Judge  is  remem- 
bered in  the  town  as  a  boy  of  rather  delicate  appearance,  who 
was  very  studious,  attended  the  public  schools  and  taught  by 
way  of  improvement  and  of  defraying  his  own  expenses.  The 
result  is  his  present  exalted  position.  The  father  moved  to 
Downer's  Grove,  where  he  died  some  years  ago  and  where  his 
widow  now  lives.  Strong,  Boardman  and  Peet  were  from  Ver- 
mont. The  former  was  born  in  1806,  and  when  eight  years  old, 
his  father  removed  to  Pennsylvania,  and  five  years  later,  re- 
moved to  New  York.  Upon  arriving  at  man's  estate,  and  hav- 
ing taken  to  himself  a  life  partner,  Mr.  Strong  came  to  Illinois, 
arriving  in  Chicago  in  July,  1831.  He  at  once  proceeded  to 
Plainfield,  but  found  the  land  all  "claimed"  in  that  section.  He 
says  there  were  then  twelve  families  living  at  Plainfield,  or 
Walker's  Grove,  and  they  told  him  there  was  "no  room  for  any 
more  immigrants."  He  left  his  family  at  the  house  of  Timothy 
B.  Clarke,  and  went  out  prospecting  for  a  location.  He  chose 
the  place  where  he  still  lives,  and  bought  it  from  two  men  named 
Selvey  and  Walker,  who  had  a  claim  on  it.    He  took  possession 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  191 

at  once  and  settled  his  family  on  the  spot,  and  for  forty-seven 
years  they  have  occupied  it.  Selvey  was  an  early  settler,  and 
was  here  during  the  Sac  war.  He  was  at  one  time  very  wealthy 
and  owned  a  great  deal  of  land  in  this  section  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  lots  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Clarke  remembers  his  selling  lots 
on  Lake  Street,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city,  at  $50  a  lot;  and 
his  father  once  bought  from  Selvey  the  lot  on  which  the  Union 
Hotel  now  stands,  corner  of  Canal  and  Madison  streets,  for 
$53.  Boardman  came  from  New  York,  and  made  the  trip  around 
the  lakes,  landing  in  Chicago  in  the  summer  of  1831.  He  was 
originally  from  Vermont,  but  like  Strong,  had  lived  for  some 
time  in  New  York  before  emigrating  West.  Mr.  Boardman 
was  an  active  man  in  the  settlement,  and  favored  every  enter- 
prise for  the  good  of  his  town.  The  first  reaper  used  in  Will 
County  was  bought  by  him  and  operated  on  his  farm,  in  1846, 
which  was  the  year  previous,  it  is  said,  to  the  one  used  by 
Granger,  in  Homer  Township,  mentioned  in  the  "Combination 
Atlas"  of  the  county.  It  was  a  McCormick  reaper.  Board- 
man  had  known  McCormick  in  New  York,  before  removing 
to  Illinois,  and  meeting  him  in  Chicago  one  day,  McCormick 
proposed  to  sell  him  a  reaper.  Mr.  Boardman  had  a  large 
crop  of  wheat,  and  said  to  McCormick,  "Suppose  I  should  buy 
one  of  your  machines  and  it  would  not  work,  I  would  lose  a 
large  part  of  my  wheat  crop."  Whereupon  McCormick  proposed 
to  enter  into  a  bond,  agreeing  to  pay  the  damage  if  it  did  not  do 
what  he  claimed  for  it.  Said  Boardman:  "I  don't  know  that 
your  bond  is  any  better  than  your  word."  But  finally  he  bought 
a  machine  on  those  conditions,  and  McCormick  gave  a  bond, 
guaranteeing  it  as  above  stated.  It  was  shipped  to  him  and 
he  cut  his  crop  of  wheat,  it  fully  coming  up  to  the  guarantee 
given  by  McCormick.  Two  of  his  neighbors  bought  reapers 
the  same  season,  and  thus  those  labor-saving  machines  were 
introduced  in  the  county.  He  was  one  of  the  first  county  com- 
missioners, an  office  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  satis- 


192  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

faction  to  others.  He  died  in  May,  1877.  Peet  settled  here  in 
1831,  near  the  county  line,  where  Swartz  now  lives,  and  died 
a  few  years  after  his  settlement.  Rev.  Scarritt  was  a  Meth- 
odist minister,  and  came  originally  from  some  one  of  the  East- 
ern states,  but  his  wife  was  a  Virginia  lady.  He  settled  a 
little  east  of  where  Mr.  Strong  lives,  and  upon  the  election  of 
his  son,  P.  P.  Scarritt,  sheriff  of  Will  County,  the  elder  Scar- 
ritt moved  to  Joliet  and  made  a  home  with  his  son,  where  he 
died,  several  years  ago.  This  comprised  the  residents  in  the 
town  at  the  close  of  the  second  year  after  the  first  settlement 
was  made  within  its  borders. 

In  1832,  the  year  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  but  few  additions 
were  made  to  the  settlement  here.  Seth  Westcott,  John  Barber 
and  John  Miller  are  all  of  whom  we  have  any  account  of  locat- 
ing here  during  the  year  1832.  Westcott  came  from  New  York, 
but  was  originally  from  Vermont.  He  settled  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  where  his  son,  Seth  Westcott,  Jr.,  now  lives. 
The  elder  Westcott  has  been  dead  three  or  four  years.  John 
Barber  came  also  from  Vermont,  and  settled  near  Barber's 
Corners.  He  had  twin  sons,  whose  names  were  Francis  and 
Franklin ;  the  latter  lives  now  on  the  old  homestead,  a  prosper- 
ous farmer,  and  the  picture  of  health  and  vigor.  The  father 
died  a  few  years  ago,  after  having  been  confined  to  his  bed  for 
nearly  twenty  years  from  rheumatism,  and  for  several  years 
had  been  blind  and  incapable  of  feeding  himself.  John  Miller, 
another  Vermonter,  settled  east  of  Barber's  Corners,  and  was 
quite  a  prominent  man  of  the  township.  He  was  the  first  super- 
visor after  township  organization,  and  was  the  only  representa- 
tive that  DuPage  has  ever  sent  to  the  State  Legislature.  He 
died  in  the  spring  of  1851,  but  a  few  weeks  before  his  term 
of  service  as  supervisor  had  expired.  In  1833,  Samuel  Good- 
rich also  from  Vermont,  settled  a  few  rods  west  of  Strong's. 
He  removed  to  Minnesota  a  good  many  years  ago,  and  died 
there  in  1876,  or  about  that  time. 


DIXIE  HIGHWAY,  CRETE,   ILL. 


THE  PARK,   CRETE,   ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  193 

Col.  William  Smith  settled  here  in  1834.  He  came  from  New 
York,  and  removed  to  Joliet  a  few  years  after  coming  to  the 
country,  where  he  was  long  known  as  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  the  city,  and  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago. 

In  1833,  quite  a  little  colony  came  to  the  township  from 
Western  New  York,  consisting  of  Andrew  Godfrey,  Shubel 
Swift,  Peter  Steward,  Hiram  Warren,  Joseph  R.  Bessey,  a  fam- 
ily named  Clifford,  and  Hannibal  Ward.  This  colony  made 
claims  and  settlements  in  the  valley  of  the  Du  Page  River,  and 
all  are  now  gone  from  the  township  except  Hiram  Warren. 
Shubel  Swift  lives  at  Waukegan,  and  Steward  lives  at  Naper- 
ville.  Sylvester  Ward,  a  son  of  Hannibal  Ward,  lives  near  Bar- 
ber's Corners,  and  is  one  of  the  prosperous  and  wealthy  farm- 
ers of  the  county.  Hannibal  Ward,  a  cousin  of  Sylvester  Ward, 
is  operating  the  latter's  cheese  factory,  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  town.  Warren  still  lives  on  the  place  where  he  originally 
settled.  Samuel  Whallen  was  also  from  New  York,  and  came 
to  the  Du  Page  Settlement  in  1836.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-four 
years  old,  and  died  in  the  township  about  five  years  ago. 
Thomas  J.  Sprague,  another  New  Yorker,  came  out  on  a  pros- 
pecting tour  in  1837,  and  returned  the  next  year  and  settled. 
He  lives  now  at  what  is  called  Sprague's  Corners,  a  wealthy 
farmer.  This  comprises  most  of  the  early  settlers  up  to  the 
time  when  the  rush  of  immigration  began.  Settlements  were 
made  here  as  early  as  1830,  but,  as  Du  Page  possessed  but  a 
small  scope  of  timbered  land,  there  was  room  for  but  few 
inhabitants,  until  the  virtues  of  the  prairies  were  discovered 
years  later.  The  early  settlers  all  chose  timbered  localities, 
many  believing  that  the  prairies  would  never  be  of  any  value 
save  for  pasturage.  Some  even  ventured  the  prophecy  that 
their  children  would  never  live  to  see  the  prairies  settled.  In 
ten  years  from  the  time  the  first  claim  was  made  on  the  Du 
Page  River,  there  was  not  a  section  left  vacant  in  the  entire 
township.    Quite  a  large  number  of  the  first  settlers  of  Du 

13— VOL.  1 


194  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Page,  perhaps  a  majority  of  them,  were  from  Vermont,  and 
were  an  intelligent  class  of  people.  The  only  one  now  living, 
of  those  who  settled  here  previous  to  the  Sac  war,  is  Robert 
Strong,  and  he,  as  already  stated  is  on  his  original  claim.  Willis 
Scott,  of  Chicago,  and  Willard  Scott,  of  Naperville,  were  here 
at  that  time,  but  were  boys  or  young  men.  Mr.  Strong  is  the 
only  old  landmark  left  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  Fountaindale, 
and  is  a  man  much  respected  in  the  neighborhood.  He  is  the 
oracle,  so  far  as  regards  the  early  history  of  this  township, 
and  but  for  him  many  of  the  particulars  given  in  this  chapter 
must  necessarily  have  been  left  to  conjecture. 

The  first  mill  in  Du  Page  Township  was  a  saw-mill  built  in 
1836  by  Alden  &  Scott.  In  1840,  another  saw-mill  was  built  by 
Ward,  a  little  above  the  one  just  mentioned.  Both  were  on  the 
Du  Page,  and  were  washed  away  during  a  season  of  high 
water,  and  the  old  dams  are  still  observable  where  these  orig- 
inal mills  were  located.  The  only  grist-mill  was  a  little  concern 
by  Pierce  Hawley,  supplied  with  horse-power,  and  used  to 
grind  both  corn  and  wheat.  The  "bolting"  was  done  by  hand, 
and  we  are  told  that  it  turned  out  a  very  fair  quality  of  flour; 
not  in  quantity  and  quality  with  Norton's  mill,  at  Lockport, 
but  then,  it  satisfied  the  pioneers,  who  were  often  glad  to  get 
either  flour  or  corn  meal  and  even  that  of  an  inferior  quality. 
Ralph  Stowell  kept  the  first  tavern  in  the  township,  where 
Glover  now  lives,  and  also  kept  the  stage-house  after  stages 
were  put  on  the  route  between  Chicago  and  Ottawa.  Shubel 
Swift  also  kept  a  tavern  in  the  early  times,  at  what  was  called 
"the  Junction,"  being  the  junction  of  the  Chicago,  Plainfield 
and  Joliet  roads.  Du  Page  has  no  village  within  its  limits,  nor 
has  ever  had  a  store  really  deserving  the  name,  but  a  few  little 
stands,  at  various  times,  merely  for  neighborhood  accommoda- 
tion. The  first  bridge  was  built  across  the  Du  Page  where  the 
Joliet  and  Naperville  road  crosses,  about  1836  or  1837.  It  was 
built  of  logs,  and  was  a  rough  affair.    A  number  of  good,  sub- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  195 

stantial  bridges  span  the  two  branches  of  the  Du  Page  in  the 
town  at  present.  The  first  post  office  was  established  at  the 
stage-house  already  mentioned,  and  Mr.  Stowell  was  the  first 
Postmaster.  The  office  was  originally  called  Fountaindale,  but 
finally  changed  to  Du  Page  Post  Office,  by  which  name  it  is 
now  known.  As  Du  Page  Post  Office,  it  has  traveled  all  over 
the  township  two  or  three  times.  Was  first  kept  at  the  stage- 
house,  then  at  Barber's  Corners,  at  Col.  Smith's,  at  the  Junc- 
tion, again  at  Barber's  Corners,  and,  indeed,  it  is  hard  to 
designate  a  place  in  the  town  where  it  has  not  been.  There 
was,  at  one  time,  another  post  office  in  the  southwest  part  of 
the  township,  called  "Long  John,"  and  was  established  during 
the  popular  period  of  the  man  for  whom  it  was  named.  (John 
Wentworth.)  The  man  who  made  the  effort  to  get  the  office  was 

said  to  be  an  Abolitionist,  and  Long  John  swore  that  no 

Abolitionist  should  have  it,  but  that  he  would  get  it  for  any 
good  Democrat,  and  so  A.  C.  Paxson  was  made  Postmaster, 
and  he  made  the  Abolitionist  his  deputy,  and  thus  whipped  the 
devil  around  the  stump.  But,  Long  John  post  office  has  passed 
away,  and  Du  Page  is  now  the  only  post  office  in  the  town,  of 
which  Samuel  Angleman  is  Postmaster. 

The  first  school  was  taught  in  this  township  by  Josiah  Gid- 
dings,  in  the  winter  of  1832-33,  in  a  little  house  built  for  the 
purpose,  a  few  rods  west  from  where  Mr.  Strong  lives.  The 
house  was  a  rude  affair,  of  hickory  logs  split  open  and  notched 
down  on  edge  with  the  split  side  in;  the  cracks  between  the 
logs  stopped  with  sticks  and  mud,  and  a  chimney  of  the  same 
material.  This  early  pedagogue  went  to  Wisconsin,  where 
he  lived  at  the  last  heard  from  him.  When  the  first  school  dis- 
tricts were  laid  off,  Will  then  being  a  part  of  Cook  County, 
this  original  schoolhouse  of  Du  Page  Township  was  in  School 
District  No.  1  of  Cook  County,  and  thus  entered  in  the  "book 
of  the  law  and  testimony."  Du  Page  has  always  maintained 
its  early  reputation  for  schools,  and  spared  neither  pains  nor 


196  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

expense  to  disseminate  knowledge  among  its  inhabitants.  In 
1872,  it  had  11  school  districts;  375  pupils  enrolled;  22  teachers 
employed,  and  10  good,  comfortable  schoolhouses.  The  amount 
of  special  tax  levied  was  $2,454.31;  amount  paid  teachers,  $2,- 
350.62.  Total  expenditures  of  the  year,  $3,749.23,  leaving  a 
balance  in  the  treasury  of  $435.85. 

Romeo,  the  village  of  that  name  which  is  located  in  the 
southeastern  corner  of  Du  Page  Township  and  in  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  Lockport  Township,  was  a  companion  town 
with  "Juliet"  (Romeo  and  Juliet).  The  adjacent  quarries  were 
in  operation  then  because  stone  was  an  important  building 
material.  The  canal  was  projected  and  railroads  were  visioned 
so  realtors  "platted"  a  city  and  sold  lots.  Nothing  came  of 
it.  Lockport  began  to  grow,  Joliet  developed  rapidly  and 
Romeo  was  forgotten.  The  change  of  "Juliet"  to  Joliet,  des- 
troyed the  companionship  of  the  two  places  and  Romeo  was 
no  more.  Present  titles  to  property  in  Romeo  are  without  re- 
gard to  the  first  plat  of  the  town.  The  change  in  building 
material  from  stone  to  concrete  made  "The  Stone  City"  a 
misnomer.  One  time,  two  trainloads  of  stone  a  day  on  the 
Chicago  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  R.  R.  was  the  regular  run. 
The  Chicago  and  Alton  carried  just  as  many.  Now  "rubble 
stone"  are  never  mentioned  in  laying  foundations,  and  but  few 
craftsmen  know  the  meaning  of  rubble. 

Du  Page  Township  remains  entirely  agricultural  today  as 
it  was  fifty  years  ago  but  vastly  improved.  The  first  feature 
to  note  is  the  excellence  of  the  highways  in  this  township.  All 
of  the  public  highways  of  the  township  have  gravel  surfaces, 
kept  in  good  condition  all  of  the  time  and  passable  in  all  kinds 
of  weather.  Route  4A  of  the  State  Highway  system  comes 
into  the  township  from  the  south  along  the  old  stage  route 
from  Joliet  to  Chicago.  It  comes  into  the  township  along  this 
road  until  it  reaches  the  east  side  of  section  27  when  it  turns 
north  to  the  old  Chicago  Road  which  it  follows  in  an  easterly 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  197 

direction  towards  Chicago.  This  route  carries  heavy  traffic 
at  all  times.  On  Sundays  and  Holidays  it  is  almost  a  continual 
stream  of  automobiles. 

The  good  roads  leading  up  to  the  concrete  highway  make  it 
possible  to  transport  on  heavy  trucks.  Very  much  of  the  pro- 
duce is  carried  on  these  trucks.  Cattle  for  feeding  are  brought 
in  by  the  same  means  and  when  ready  for  the  market  are  taken 
back  from  Chicago  in  the  same  way.  The  township  was  given 
over  very  largely  to  feeding  cattle  for  beef  until  four  years 
ago.  Since  that  time  dairy  business  has  come  in  rapidly.  This 
is  due  in  part  to  the  high  price  of  feeders  but  mostly  to  the 
fact  that  trucks  gather  the  milk  from  many  stations  through- 
out the  township.  Thus  the  farmers  are  able  to  market  their 
product  without  difficulty  in  transporting  which  hindered  them 
in  former  years.  The  Chicago  market  takes  all  of  this  product 
that  they  can  produce. 

In  former  years  the  southeast  portion  of  this  township, 
especially  that  corner  which  lies  east  of  the  river  had  exten- 
sive quarries.  Building  stones  were  in  demand  to  supply  the 
builders  in  Chicago.  The  coming  of  concrete  construction  has 
closed  practically  all  of  the  quarries.  Crushed  stone  is  still 
produced  in  large  quantities  but  the  stones  which  are  crushed 
are  no  longer  taken  from  the  ground.  They  are  easily  ob- 
tained from  the  immense  ridges  of  stone  which  were  excavated 
to  make  the  Chicago  Drainage  Canal. 

The  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  is  abandoned.  It  is  an 
empty  ditch  not  much  more  than  a  scratch  upon  the  surface 
when  one  compares  it  with  the  Chicago  Drainage  Canal.  The 
completion  of  the  Drainage  Canal  rendered  the  old  canal  use- 
less as  far  as  Joliet  because  boats  could  travel  upon  the  larger 
canal  with  ease  since  mules  were  no  longer  the  propelling 
power. 

The  Chicago  Sanitary  and  Ship  Canal  was  constructed  by 
the  Chicago  Trainage  Commission  with  the  primary  purpose 


198  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

of  making  an  outlet  for  the  sewage  of  that  city.  The  State  as 
well  as  the  Nation  insisted  that  it  become  a  ship  canal  so  that 
it  might  be  used  in  the  future  as  occasion  required.  This  Chan- 
nel was  completed  in  1893  and  served  its  purpose  for  drain- 
age for  the  great  city  without  detriment  for  the  cities  along 
the  Illinois  Valley. 

The  Deep  Waterway  for  which  actual  construction  work 
was  commenced  on  November  6,  1920,  is  being  pushed  forward 
rapidly  at  this  time.  Contracts  were  awarded  in  1926  for  the 
construction  of  a  lock  and  dam  at  Starved  Rock;  gates  and 
valves  for  Lockport  and  Marseilles,  and  for  locks  and  dam  at 
the  lower  edge  of  the  city  of  Joliet.  Right-of-way  has  been 
obtained  throughout  and  contracts  have  been  let  for  all  of  the 
work  which  is  being  pushed  forward  rapidly.  The  lock  and 
dam  at  the  Brandon  Road  is  well  under  way  at  this  writing. 
Plans  are  complete  for  five  bridges  over  the  waterway  in  Joliet. 
This  Deep  Waterway  will  increase  the  value  of  real  estate  in 
the  southeast  portion  of  Du  Page  township  because  it  will 
make  factory  sites  available  outside  of  the  congested  area  of 
Chicago.  Thus  one  improvement  brings  another  and  the 
development  of  one  industry  reflects  upon  another  to  further 
the  interests  of  all. 

Florence  Township  is  a  full  Congressional  town,  contain- 
ing thirty-six  full  sections,  and  is  described  in  the  survey  as 
Town  33  north,  and  10  east  of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Jackson  Township,  on  the  east 
by  Wilton,  on  the  south  by  Wesley,  and  on  the  west  by  Wilming- 
ton. It  is  watered  by  Prairie  Creek  flowing  through  the  north- 
western part,  and  by  Forked  Creek  and  its  branches  flowing 
through  the  southern  portion.  These  furnish  excellent  stock 
water  to  the  farms  lying  adjacent.  Stone,  adapted  to  founda- 
tions for  houses  and  for  making  lime,  is  found  in  some  parts, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  199 

and  quarries  are  worked  for  these  purposes.  Some  dispute 
as  to  who  was  the  first  settler  of  this  township  has  arisen  in 
consequence  of  the  nearness  of  some  of  the  first  settlements 
to  the  northwest  corner,  across  the  line  from  which  other  early 
settlements  were  made  in  adjoining  townships.  We  have  no 
doubt,  from  close  investigation,  that  Lewis  Linebarger  is  just- 
ly entitled  to  that  honor.  Several  others  of  the  Linebarger 
family  came  to  Jackson  Township  in  the  year  1832,  and,  as  we 
have  seen  in  the  history  of  that  township,  returned  to  Indiana 
on  the  appearance  of  the  Indian  troubles.  The  next  spring, 
Lewis  moved  out  and  settled  at  what  has  since  been  known  as 
Starr's  Grove,  though  the  neighborhood  was  then  really  con- 
sidered a  part  of  Reed's  Grove.  Perhaps,  from  this  circum- 
stance, Linebarger  has  been  incorrectly  accredited  to  Jackson 
Township.  Linebarger  built  a  log  cabin,  which  was  the  first 
and  made  other  improvements.  He  did  not  enter  the  land,  but 
subsequently  sold  his  claim  to  Arthur  Potts,  and  removed  to 
Oregon. 

Arthur  Potts,  though  not  the  next  to  make  his  appearance 
as  a  settler,  was  yet  in  the  township  of  Westley  in  1834,  and 
moved  on  the  claim  purchased  of  Linebarger  a  year  or  two 
later.  Potts  was  a  native  of  Indiana.  He  lived  here  until  1854, 
and  then  removed  to  Iowa,  having  sold  his  farm  to  Duncan 
Mclntyre. 

Another  of  the  Linebargers  also  settled  in  here  in  1834.  He, 
too,  moved  to  Oregon.  Henry  Moore  was  here  in  1834.  He 
was  a  native  of  Indiana,  a  good  farmer,  and  removed  to  Iowa 
many  years  ago. 

In  1835,  the  township  received  an  addition  to  its  population 
that  proved  to  be  an  addition,  not  only  as  to  numbers,  but  in 
worth,  in  energy,  in  industry,  and  in  general  benefit  to  the 
community.  Henry  Althouse  is  a  native  of  Prussia.  He  came 
to  this  country  in  1819,  landing  in  Baltimore  that  year.    All 


200  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

that  he  had  in  the  world,  when  he  stepped  ashore,  was  the 
clothes  on  his  back,  plenty  of  energy  and  a  thorough  know- 
ledge of  the  baking  business.  In  the  business  of  baking  he  en- 
gaged, working  at  the  trade  in  Maryland,  Virginia  and  Ohio. 
In  1835,  he  concluded  to  turn  farmer,  and,  with  that  intent, 
came  to  this  place  and  laid  claim  to  a  piece  of  land.  To  this 
he  added,  by  the  utmost  energy  and  industry,  until,  at  one  time, 
he  owned  1,500  acres.  Having  a  view  to  the  comfort  and  wel- 
fare of  a  large  family,  he  divided  it  up  and  gave  to  each  of 
the  nine  surviving  children  a  good  farm  and  other  property  of 
value.  He  moved  to  Wilmington,  where  he  occupied  the  fine 
residence  of  the  former  banker,  Daniels.  He  lived  beyond  four 
score,  retaining  his  faculties  to  the  last. 

John  Kahler  was  also  one  of  the  earliest  citizens  of  this 
vicinity,  having  settled  here  in  1835. 

James  Martin  came  in  1836.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  proved  to  be  a  first-class  citizen  of  this  community.  When 
he  first  came  to  the  neighborhood,  he  assisted  in  the  building 
of  Dr.  B  owen's  mill  at  Wilmington.  The  school  records  show 
him  to  have  been  one  of  the  first  school  trustees,  in  1842.  His 
son  William  occupied  the  old  homestead  until  his  death.  James 
W.  Martin,  another  son,  was  a  successful  farmer,  acquiring 
several  good  farms  in  Florence  and  Wesley  townships.  Later 
he  became  interested  in  politics  and  became  a  leader.  He  dis- 
posed of  his  land  and  removed  to  Joliet  where  he  acquired  con- 
siderable real  estate.  He  was  elected  County  Treasurer  for 
two  terms  and  served  his  county  well.  Four  sons  survive, 
Robert,  an  attorney  in  Joliet,  who  was  State's  Attorney  for  the 
County;  Walter,  who  is  also  an  attorney  associated  with  his 
brother,  Charles,  of  Wilmington,  who  is  mayor  of  that  city, 
and  John  who  is  a  prosperous  farmer  in  Wesley  Township. 

About  this  time  came  Walter  and  Thomas  Monteith.  They 
were  from  New  York.  They  lived  here  about  ten  years,  and 
then  removed  to  Oregon.    Since  their  removal  to  that  State, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  201 

report  says  they  have  become  very  wealthy.  David  Bell  was 
one  of  the  next  to  settle  here.  He  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  came  first  to  Wilmington,  where  he  earned  a  little  money 
working  at  the  trade  of  carpenter,  bought  a  little  land  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  township,  and  by  constant  industry  and 
good  management  became  wealthy. 

In  1837,  Duncan  Mclntyre  and  Daniel  Stewart  came  from 
New  York.  Mclntyre  took  a  claim  on  Section  28,  the  farm 
later  owned  by  Selah  Morey,  and  built  a  cabin.  Being  unmar- 
ried at  the  time,  he  took  to  live  with  him  Nelson  Wright  and 
family,  who  had  emigrated  from  New  York  with  him.  Sub- 
sequently, Wright  removed  to  Oregon,  and  Mclntyre  sought 
elsewhere  for  a  housekeeper;  and  in  the  connection  a  little 
romance  is  related.  Some  years  before,  Mclntyre  and  some 
friends,  while  on  a  tour  of  inspection  in  the  neighboring  town- 
ship of  Wesley,  were  suddenly  surprised  by  seeing  coming  to- 
ward them  a  man  leading  a  little  girl,  then  a  mere  child.  The 
man  informed  them  that  they  were  emigrants  from  Michigan, 
and  had  just  arrived  at  the  place;  that  their  wagon,  with  the 
balance  of  the  family,  had  been  left  a  little  way  behind,  and 
they  were  seeking  a  place  to  spend  the  night.  The  man  was 
Joseph  Hadsel,  and  the  little  girl  was  his  daughter.  All  of  the 
gentlemen  were  struck  with  the  quiet  and  simple  beauty  of 
the  little  girl;  but  no  one  dreamed  that  this  was  to  be  the 
future  Mrs.  Duncan  Mclntyre.  But  when  Mr.  Mclntyre's  ten- 
ants, the  Wrights  left  his  place,  he  then  brought  to  mind  the 
modest,  intelligent  face  of  Joseph  Hadsel's  daughter,  who  was 
then  living  with  her  father  in  the  adjoining  township.  An  op- 
portunity was  not  long  in  presenting  itself  for  Mclntyre  to 
renew  the  acquaintance  of  the  now  young  lady,  and  his  estima- 
tion of  her  growing  as  their  acquaintance  increased,  and  her 
regard  for  him  being  of  an  equally  high  character,  they  were 
married  in  1840.  Three  years  later,  Mclntyre  and  his  wife 
returned  to  New  York,  where  they  lived  fourteen  years,  and 


202  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

then  returned  to  Florence,  where  he  died  some  years  later.  Mrs. 
Mclntyre  resided  at  Starr's  Grove,  with  her  mother,  the  former 
Mrs.  Hadsel  until  her  death.  She  was  one  of  the  oldest  resi- 
dents of  this  part  of  the  county  when  she  passed  away. 

Daniel  Stewart,  mentioned  in  Wilmington  Township,  was 
one  of  the  staunchest  and  most  honorable  citizens  of  this  neigh- 
borhood. In  his  line  of  business  he  was  most  successful,  and 
accumulated  a  large  amount  of  property. 

Walter  W.  Monteith,  cousin  of  the  Monteith  before  men- 
tioned, came  about  the  year  1841,  and  worked  for  a  time  in 
Gov.  Matteson's  woolen  mills  at  Joliet.  On  coming  to  this 
township,  he  settled  near  the  center.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
popular  (and  deservedly  so)  citizens.  He  was  the  first  Super- 
visor of  the  township,  and  held  numerous  other  positions  of 
honor  and  responsibility,  in  all  of  which  he  discharged  the 
duties  of  the  same  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner. 

Charles  Starr,  after  whom  the  little  grove  on  Prairie  Creek 
was  named,  was  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia.  He  was  the  father  of 
Judge  C.  R.  Starr,  of  Kankakee.  Mr.  Starr  came  to  this  coun- 
try and  to  this  township  in  1842.  He  died  in  1874  at  a  very 
advanced  age — nearly  100  years  old.  In  the  same  year,  Wil- 
liam Van  der  Bogert  arrived  from  New  York.  He  was  elected, 
the  same  year,  a  Trustee  of  Schools  in  the  township  being  one 
of  the  first  three. 

Isaac  Jackson  also  arrived  in  1842.  He  was  a  native  of 
Nova  Scotia  and  came  with  his  family  to  Starr's  Grove,  having 
purchased  100  acres  of  land  at  that  place.  Mr.  Jackson  was  a 
Quaker  preacher,  though  in  some  points  he  differed  from  the 
orthodox  Quakers.  Before  removing  from  Nova  Scotia,  he 
had  built,  at  his  own  expense,  a  church,  in  which  he  preached 
his  peculiar  doctrines  to  all  who  desired  to  hear  him,  free  of 
expense  to  his  auditors.  On  leaving  that  country,  he  donated 
the  house  of  worship  to  the  congregation.  After  coming  to 
this  country,  he  frequently  held  religious  services  at  school- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  203 

houses  throughout  the  county.  Mr.  Jackson  was  a  most  pro- 
found mechanical  genius;  and  whether  the  circumstances  called 
for  the  shoeing  of  a  horse,  the  framing  of  a  house,  the  building 
of  a  carriage  in  all  to  its  parts,  or  the  transforming  of  a  piece 
of  iron  into  the  delicate  hairspring  of  a  chronometer,  he  was 
always  found  equal  to  the  occasion.  At  his  son  Delancy's  may 
be  seen  some  of  the  instruments  manufactured  by  him  for  his 
own  use,  which  are  pronounced  by  experts  to  be  of  the  very 
finest  character.  He  died  here  in  1875,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
90  years,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  in  1856.  Enoch  Jack- 
son, a  son  of  the  above,  served  for  eighteen  consecutive  years 
as  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  this  township,  during  which  time  not 
a  single  one  of  his  decisions  was  ever  reversed  by  the  higher 
courts. 

By  the  year  1848,  quite  a  number  more  permanent  settle- 
ments had  been  made,  so  that  the  population  had  become  near- 
ly one  hundred.  Among  the  principal  ones  who  arrived  during 
the  years  1842-48,  are  remembered  John  Jordan,  Rufus  Cor- 
bett,  George  A.  Gray,  Adam  White,  Edward  Gurney,  the  Bas- 
kerville  family,  Selah  and  Leonard  Morey,  William  Barret,  Dr. 
E.  H.  Strong,  Adam  White  and  sons  John  and  James,  C.  G. 
Jewell,  R.  H.  Nott,  Andrew  Layton,  Henry  Hand  and  Hezekiah 
Warner. 

The  first  move  looking  toward  the  organization  of  a  means 
of  educating  the  youth  of  this  township  originated  with  Henry 
Althouse,  the  next  Winter  after  arriving  here.  The  school  con- 
sisted of  only  his  own  children  and  a  child  or  two  belonging  to 
one  of  the  neighbors.  The  school  was  taught  in  a  room  of 
Althouse's  dwelling,  by  a  young  lady  employed  by  him,  and 
was  more  on  the  nursery  style  than  conforming  to  the  strict 
rules  of  the  modern  public  school,  the  young  lady  being  em- 
ployed as  much  for  the  purpose  of  taking  care  of  the  children 
as  for  instructing  them.  In  1841,  the  first  steps  were  taken  to 
establish  a  school  for  general  and  public  instruction.    A  peti- 


204  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tion  was  prepared,  and  at  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  Wilmington  Township,  in  the  Spring  of  the  next  year,  pre- 
sented to  that  body  praying  to  be  admitted  as  a  part  of  the 
Wilmington  District.  The  petition  was  considered  favorably, 
and  a  school  was  established  within  the  bounds  of  Florence, 
during  the  winter  of  1842-43.  The  attendance  was  only  six 
scholars,  and  the  term  lasted  but  thirty-five  days.  Sarah  Fisher 
is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  being  the  pioneer  educator  of  the 
public  school  system  of  this  township;  and  for  her  services,  as 
Principal  of  this  Florence  Academy,  or  Starr's  Grove  institute, 
or  whatever  it  was  called,  she  received  $11.50. 

In  1845,  the  number  of  scholars  in  the  township,  living  near 
Starr's  Grove,  had  increased  to  twenty-four,  and  Town  33, 
Range  10,  was  set  off  as  a  separate  district.  No  schoolhouse 
had  yet  been  erected,  but  schools  were  held  in  such  rooms  of 
private  houses  as  could  be  spared.  The  first  schoolhouse  was 
erected  in  1849,  and  was  built  by  Selah  Morey,  for  $250.  James 
Martin,  John  Kahler  and  William  Van  der  Bogert  were  the 
first  trustees. 

Florence  Township  is  entirely  agricultural.  One  village  is 
found  on  the  Wabash  in  the  southeastern  part,  village  of 
Symerton.  This  is  an  important  grain  center  and  affords  a 
market  for  the  farmers  of  that  area. 

All  of  the  land  is  prairie  with  the  exception  of  a  few  acres 
of  timber  on  Jordan  Creek  in  section  22.  This  group  is  com- 
posed of  scattered  trees  and  it  does  not  appear  that  very  many 
have  been  cut  away.  The  entire  township  is  under  cultivation. 
The  land  is  well  drained  and  easily  tilled.  It  produces  good 
crops  of  corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley,  and  rye.  For  some  years 
previous  to  the  World  War  very  little  if  any  wheat  was  raised. 
Since  that  time,  however,  cultivation  of  winter  wheat  and 
spring  wheat  has  been  revived  and  this  crop  now  is  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  grain  crop  of  the  township.  Thus  far  no 
Chinch  bug  has  appeared  to  interfere  with  the  wheat.    Indica- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  205 

tions  are  that  no  trouble  will  arise  from  this  source  for  some 
years  to  come.  Grain  farming  is  almost  universal  throughout 
the  township.  During  the  last  year  some  dairying  has  come 
in.  The  lack  of  sufficient  good  roads  hinders  the  advancement 
of  this  line  of  farming. 

The  concrete  road  running  south  from  Joliet  strikes  the 
west  side  of  the  township  at  the  north  edge  of  section  7  and 
follows  along  the  township  line  of  sections  18  and  19  and  half 
way  across  section  30  where  it  turns  west  through  Wilming- 
ton. A  good  stone  road  is  maintained  along  the  central  line 
of  the  township  from  north  to  south.  A  stone  road  is  main- 
tained also  on  the  south  side  of  sections  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24. 
This  east  and  west  road  continues  eastward  until  it  intersects 
the  concrete  road,  Route  22  from  Joliet  to  Kankakee.  A  stone 
road  runs  north  from  this  east  and  west  road  through  the  vil- 
lage of  Symerton  northward  one  and  one-half  mile  and  thence 
westward  to  the  stone  road  along  the  central  line.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  highways  are  graded  dirt  roads.  They  are 
maintained  in  good  condition  during  dry  weather  but  in  wet 
weather  it  is  very  difficult  to  travel  over  them  with  an  auto- 
mobile because  the  land  is  so  nearly  level. 

Nine  good  schools  are  maintained  in  the  township.  Eight 
years  ago  a  movement  was  started  looking  to  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  rural  schools.  The  farmers  feared  an  added  cost 
as  well  as  difficulties  in  transporting  the  pupils  over  mud  roads. 
It  was  abandoned  because  the  people  thought  that  it  would  not 
be  successful.  Attendance  at  the  schools  has  been  uniformly 
good. 

No  churches  are  maintained  in  the  township.  The  people 
worship  in  the  churches  of  Wilmington  and  other  nearby 
towns. 

Frankfort  Township. — Ninety-eight  years  have  come  and 
gone  since  white  men  began  to  settle  in  the  territory  now  em- 


206  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

braced  in  Frankfort  Township.  William  Rice  is  supposed  to 
have  been  the  first  white  man  whose  footsteps  marked  the  vir- 
gin prairie  in  this  portion  of  Will  County.  He  made  a  kind  of 
prospecting  tour  through  here  in  1828,  but  did  not  make  a 
permanent  settlement  until  in  the  Summer  of  1831.  During 
the  spring  and  summer  of  that  year,  John  McGovney,  William 
Moore,  William  Rice  and  a  man  named  Osborne  settled  near 
where  the  village  of  Mokena  now  stands.  Not  long,  however, 
were  they  allowed  to  remain  in  peace  and  tranquillity.  The 
notes  of  war  were  wafted  to  them  upon  the  prairie  winds,  and 
the  war-whoops  of  Black  Hawk  and  his  warriors  warned  them 
that  this  was  no  safe  abiding-place.  Early  in  the  spring  of 
1832,  safety  demanded  a  retreat  to  a  more  thickly-settled  coun- 
try, and  they  accordingly  returned  to  the  Wabash  settlement, 
or  to  Lafayette,  Indiana.  McGovney,  Moore  and  Rice  were 
from  Ohio,  and  Osborne  had  come  from  Indiana,  but  whether 
that  was  his  native  place  or  not  could  not  be  learned.  After 
the  close  of  the  Indian  war,  McGovney  and  Rice  came  back  to 
their  claims,  in  the  spring  of  1834.  Moore  and  Osborne,  it 
appears,  however,  were  fully  satisfied  with  frontier  life,  and 
never  returned — at  least  not  to  this  settlement.  Mr.  McGov- 
ney pre-empted  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  succeeded  in  getting 
a  "float"  on  another  "eighty,"  a  portion  of  which  is  embraced 
in  the  present  village  of  Mokena.  He  is  considered  the  first 
permanent  settler  of  Frankfort  Township.  The  land  was  not 
in  market  at  the  time  he  settled  here,  and  settlers  chose  their 
locations  and  "squatted,"  provided  there  were  no  prior  claims. 
Range  11  was  sold  in  1836,  and  Range  12  in  1838,  at  Chicago. 
Mr.  McGovney  died  on  his  original  place  March  11, 1859.  W.  W. 
McGovney,  a  son,  resided  in  New  Lenox  Township;  another 
son,  Ozias,  was  a  prosperous  merchant  in  the  village  of  Mok- 
ena; Thomas  G.,  another  son,  lived  in  Joliet,  and  Elijah,  the 
youngest,  lived  on  the  old  homestead  until  his  death.    The  f am- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  207 

ily  consisted  of  eight  children,  and  all  lived  until  the  youngest 
was  32  years  old. 

Matthew  Van  Home  settled  here,  it  is  said,  in  1832,  and 
remained  during  the  Black  Hawk  War.  He  was  from  New 
York,  and  was  good-naturedly  termed  by  his  neighbors  as  a 
Mohawk  Dutchman.  He  settled  one  mile  west  of  the  present 
village  of  Frankfort,  in  the  Hickory  Creek  timber,  where  he 
lived  and  died,  and  where  his  widow  resided  until  her  death,  in 
the  same  old  house  where  they  spent  more  than  half  their  lives. 
Peter  Flayes  came  from  New  Hampshire  and  settled  first  in  the 
vicinity  of  Lockport,  but  removed  to  Frankfort  Township  in 
the  spring  of  1837.  Orlando  and  Levi  M.  Clayes,  his  sons,  came 
in  the  fall  of  1836;  Charles,  another  son,  came  out  and  worked 
on  their  claim  during  the  winter,  and  in  the  spring  the  re- 
mainder of  the  family  came.  They  bought  their  claim  from 
one  Robert  Smith,  who  was  from  Vermont,  and  settled  here 
in  1835.  None  of  this  family  remain.  Grandchildren  survive 
in  other  parts  of  Illinois.  E.  Atkins  and  a  brother,  John  At- 
kins, came  from  Vermont,  and  were  among  the  first  settlers 
in  the  township  after  the  close  of  the  Sac  War,  and  about  the 
same  time  came  Weir  and  Duncan,  from  the  Wabash  settle- 
ments. Foster  Kane  and  Archibald  Crowl  were  from  the  same 
section.  It  is  said  that  Kane  was  in  the  settlement  all  through 
the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  settled  on  the  place  afterward  oc- 
cupied by  Matthew  Van  Home.  Crowl  settled  near  the  village 
of  Mokena,  in  1834  or  1835.  He  finally  moved  to  Missouri, 
Kane  moved  South  in  a  short  time  after  the  war  was  over,  and 
afterward  to  Missouri,  where  he  died  many  years  ago.  Daniel 
Wilson  came  from  Ohio  and  settled  in  1834  or  1835.  Francis 
Owen  was  from  Kentucky,  and  came  in  1835.  Phineas  Holden 
and  Trueman  Smith  were  from  Vermont,  and  settled  also  in 
1835. 

Ambrose  Doty  came  from  Ohio,  in  1834,  and  settled  on  the 
line  between  Frankfort  and  New  Lenox  Townships.    His  land 


208  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lay  on  both  sides  of  the  line,  and  his  first  cabin  was  built  just 
over  the  line  in  New  Lenox  Township;  but  when,  some  years 
later,  he  built  a  new  and  more  pretentious  residence,  he  set  it 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  line,  and  thus  became  a  resident  of 
Frankfort  Township.  As  stated,  he  came  from  Ohio,  but  was 
born  in  Norris  County,  N.  J.  He  has  been  living  for  some 
years  in  Frankfort  village.  Isaac  Francis  also  came  from  Ohio, 
but  was  a  native  of  the  "Ould  Sod,"  and  settled  in  the  town  in 
1835.  Allen  and  Lysander  Denny,  a  Mr.  Wood,  and  David  Ket- 
chum  came  from  New  York  in  1834  or  1835.  Wood  had  two 
sons,  Hiram  and  Sydney;  one  of  them,  a  Methodist  clergyman, 
moved  to  the  Rock  River  country;  the  father  and  the  other  son 
moved  away,  also,  but  where,  we  could  not  learn.  The  Dennys 
settled  in  the  Hickory  Creek  timber — Allen  near  Mokena,  and 
Lysander  on  the  Creek,  where  he  built  a  saw-mill,  and  after 
a  time  sold  out  and  moved  to  the  village  of  Spencer,  where  he 
died.  Allen  finally  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  died  sev- 
eral years  ago.  William  Knight,  also  a  New  Yorker,  came  in 
the  Fall  of  1834,  and  settled  in  the  Grove,  but  sold  out  in  a  few 
years  and  returned  to  New  York.  This  includes  a  number  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Frankfort  Township,  and,  perhaps,  a 
majority  of  those  who  settled  in  the  town  prior  to  the  land 
sale,  are  mentioned  in  this  list.  After  the  sale  of  these  lands, 
the  community  rapidly  filled  up  until  not  a  section  was  left  un- 
occupied. 

John  W.  McGovney,  a  son  of  John  McGovney,  noticed  as 
the  first  settler  of  this  township,  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in  the  settlement.  He  was  born  in  the  Spring  of  1832,  just  be- 
fore the  settler  left  the  place  for  the  Wabash  settlements,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  Sac  war.  As  to  the  first  death  and  mar- 
riage, the  few  survivors  of  the  early  days,  are  somewhat  un- 
certain as  to  who  they  were,  or  when  they  occurred.  The  first 
physician  who  practiced  the  healing  art  in  the  neighborhood 
was  Dr.  Moses  Porter,  of  Hadley;  Dr.  W.  P.  Holden  was  the 


HIGH  SCHOOL  AND  GRADE  SCHOOL,   PLA1NFIELD,   ILL. 


MAIN  STREET,   MOKENA,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  209 

first  resident  physician  in  the  township,  and  practiced  many- 
years,  but  at  length  retired  and  gave  the  field  to  younger  men. 
The  first  mill  was  built  by  Matthew  Van  Home,  about  1835-36, 
and  was  originally  a  saw-mill  only,  but  a  run  of  stones  was 
afterward  added,  for  grinding  corn.  A  saw-mill  was  built 
prior  to  this  by  Denny,  but  it  was  a  saw-mill  only. 

A  store  was  opened,  in  1836,  by  0.  and  L.  M.  Clayes,  which 
was  the  first  mercantile  effort  in  the  township.  They  contin- 
ued in  the  business  for  eight  or  ten  years,  when  they  closed  out, 
and  one  M.  C.  Farewell  opened  a  store  in  the  same  house  they 
had  occupied.  The  latter  did  business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Farewell  &  Case.  Case  lived  in  Chicago,  and  furnished  the 
goods,  and  Farewell  conducted  the  store.  A  post  office  was 
established  in  1837,  with  L.  M.  Clayes  as  Postmaster,  one  of  the 
merchants  mentioned  above.  The  name  of  the  office  was  Chel- 
sea, and  after  the  Clayes  Brothers  discontinued  their  store,  the 
office  was  moved  to  Van  Home's,  and  he  was  made  Postmaster, 
an  office  he  held  until  some  years  after  the  post  office  had  been 
moved  to  the  new  village  of  Frankfort,  as  noticed  hereafter. 
When  the  office  was  first  established,  the  mail  was  brought  by 
"horse  express  fast  line"  from  LaPorte,  Ind.,  to  Joliet  once  a 
week.  A  village  was  laid  out  here  in  1848-49  by  Charles  Clayes 
and  M.  C.  Farewell,  which  was  called  Chelsea.  The  former 
owned  the  premises,  and  the  place  had  some  show  of  becoming 
quite  a  town;  but  upon  the  completion  of  the  Chicago  &  Rock 
Island  Railroad  it  was  abandoned,  and  the  last  traces  of  it  have 
now  disappeared. 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  the  town  was  perhaps  by 
Father  Beggs,  who,  as  noticed  in  other  parts  of  this  work,  was 
one  of  the  pioneer  preachers  of  the  county.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Blackwell,  another  of  the  early  Methodist  itinerants,  formed 
a  class  at  Mr.  Doty's  about  1836  or  1837,  just  over  the  line  in 
New  Lenox  Township,  but  at  that  day  was  included  in  this  set- 
tlement, or  this  was  included  in  that,  and  all  known  as  the 

14— VOL.  1 


210  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Hickory  Creek  Settlement.  Mr.  Doty's  residence  was  a  regu- 
lar preaching-place  until  the  era  of  schoolhouses,  as  there  was 
no  church  edifice  built  until  after  the  village  of  Frankfort  was 
laid  out.  There  is  but  one  church-building  in  the  town  outside 
of  the  villages — the  German  Lutheran  Church — which  is 
located  about  three  miles  northeast  of  Frankfort  village.  It 
was  built  in  1877  and  was  a  neat  frame  building,  costing  about 
$1,500,  and  had  quite  a  flourishing  membership.  The  church 
history  will  be  again  referred  to  in  the  history  of  the  villages. 
The  first  schools  taught  in  the  town  were  by  Mrs.  Knight  and 
Mrs.  Hiram  Wood,  but  to  which  belongs  the  honor  of  teaching 
the  first,  no  one  can  now  tell.  They  both  taught  in  a  little  log 
schoolhouse,  which  stood  on  Section  19,  built  for  school  pur- 
poses, but  afterward  converted  into  a  dwelling. 

The  cheese  factory  of  Messrs.  Baumgartner  &  Co.,  was  an 
extensive  establishment.  It  was  owned  by  a  stock  company, 
consisting  of  John  and  Jacob  Baumgartner,  George  Geuther, 
Francis  Maue  and  E.  Higgens.  They  had  an  excellent  brick 
factory  with  stone  basement,  built  at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  It  is 
about  two  miles  north  of  Frankfort  village,  and  was  built  in 
1875.  The  manufacture  of  butter  and  cheese  was  carried  on 
rather  largely,  but  not  to  the  full  capacity  of  the  factory,  owing 
to  the  lack  of  material.  About  $10,000  is  the  amount  of  busi- 
ness annually,  but  much  more  could  have  been  done  if  a  greater 
supply  of  milk  could  have  been  obtained.  This  industry  was 
abandoned  in  1895.  The  building  remains  today  in  a  good  state 
of  preservation. 

This  township  was  named  by  Mr.  Cappel,  an  old  German 
citizen,  for  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  his  native  place,  a  name  it 
has  always  borne.  The  town  is  largely  Republican,  and  has 
always  been  so.  It  is  remembered  by  many  that  at  one  period 
of  its  history  there  were  not  half  a  dozen  Democratic  votes  in 
the  entire  town.  But  the  latter  party  has  gained  some  strength 
in  the  last  few  years,  and  the  National  Greenback  party  at  pre- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  211 

sent  bids  fair  to  create  a  revolution  in  its  political  record.  The 
war  history,  like  all  portions  of  Will  County,  is  good,  and  many 
brave  soldiers  are  accredited  to  this  township. 

Mokena  is  situated  on  the  Chicago  &  Rock  Island  Railroad, 
about  ten  miles  east  of  Joliet.  The  original  village  was  laid 
out  in  1852,  before  the  railroad  was  fully  completed,  by  Allen 
Denny.  An  addition  was  made  to  it  soon  after,  by  John  Mc- 
Govney,  which  was  surveyed  by  A.  J.  Matthewson,  County  Sur- 
veyor. Knapp  &  Smith  put  up  the  first  building,  which  was 
used  for  the  double  purpose  of  store  and  dwelling,  and  they 
were  the  first  merchants  in  the  place.  The  first  hotel  was  built 
by  Charles  Gall,  in  1853,  and  was  the  next  building  erected  af- 
ter Knapp  &  Smith's  store,  which  had  been  put  up  in  the  Win- 
ter of  1851-52,  before  the  village  was  laid  out  and  before  the 
Railroad  was  completed.  William  McCoy  built  the  first  black- 
smith shop,  in  the  winter  of  1853-54.  Ozias  McGovney  was  the 
first  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the  village,  and  was  elected  in  1850, 
an  office  he  held  for  twenty-one  years  uninterruptedly.  He 
was  also  a  lawyer  by  profession,  but  did  not  practice  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  later  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business. 
A  post  office  was  established  in  the  village  in  the  Spring  of 
1853,  and  Warren  Knapp  was  the  first  Postmaster,  receiving 
his  commission  soon  after  the  inauguration  of  President 
Pierce.  McGovney  bought  out  Smith,  of  the  firm  of  Knapp  & 
Smith,  and  the  firm  became  Knapp  &  McGovney,  and  so  con- 
tinued for  a  number  of  years.  They  were  the  first  grain  buy- 
ers, and  bought  from  wagons  and  loaded  into  the  cars  without 
the  aid  of  elevators.  Cross  &  Jones  built  a  steam  mill  in  1855, 
and  about  1865,  took  out  the  machinery  and  shipped  it  to  Kan- 
sas, when  the  mill  building  was  changed  in  to  the  Mokena  Ele- 
vator, and  was  owned  and  operated  by  Charles  Hirsch  in  1878, 
the  only  grain  dealer  in  the  village.  Noble  Jones  speculated  in 
grain  and  had  an  office  there,  but  did  business  mostly  on  the 
Board  of  Trade,  in  Chicago. 


212  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1855,  and  was  a  small 
frame,  costing  $1,000.  James  Pierce  taught  the  first  school  in 
it,  soon  after  it  was  completed.  The  present  schoolhouse  was 
built  in  1872,  is  a  substantial  two-story  frame,  with  stone  base- 
ment, and  cost,  together  with  furniture,  about  $10,000,  just 
ten  times  the  amount  of  the  first  schoolhouse.  Mrs.  Sarah 
Baldwin  was  Principal  of  the  school  in  1878.  Miss  Swalm, 
assistant  teacher,  and  Miss  Clara  Williams  was  teacher  of  the 
Primary  Department.    This  building  is  in  use  now.  (1928.) 

Plans  are  completed  and  contracts  have  been  given  for  a 
new  building  which  will  have  four  class-rooms  and  a  gym- 
nasium. This  building  will  cost,  complete  in  every  detail, 
$45,000. 

The  village  of  Frankfort  was  named  for  the  township,  and 
the  township  was  named  for  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  as  al- 
ready noticed.  Frankfort  village  is  situated  on  the  Joliet  cut- 
off of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  about  twelve  miles  from 
Joliet,  and  was  laid  out  in  1855 — the  same  year  the  cut-off  rail- 
road was  built  through  the  township.  It  was  laid  out  by  S. 
W,  Bowen,  who  owned  eighty  acres  of  land  embraced  in  the 
village.  The  first  store  was  kept  by  a  man  named  Higley,  a 
very  small  affair,  and  did  not  continue  long.  The  next  store — 
and  the  first  really  deserving  the  name — was  opened  by  N.  A. 
Carpenter  in  the  Spring  of  1855,  who  also  put  up  the  first  build- 
ing designed  for  a  storehouse.  The  first  hotel  was  built  by  a 
man  named  Doud  in  the  summer  of  1855.  The  post  office  in  the 
village  was  kept  by  Carpenter,  as  a  deputy  under  Van  Home, 
who  was  mentioned  in  the  township  history  as  accepting  the 
Chelsea  post  office  from  L.  M.  Clayes.  After  its  removal  to 
this  place,  the  name  of  the  office  was  changed  to  Frankfort. 
Van  Home  remained  Postmaster  for  three  years,  but  the 
duties  of  the  office  were  performed  by  Mr.  Carpenter,  and  after 
the  expiration  of  the  three  years,  William  B.  Cleveland  be- 
came Postmaster.    Nicholas  Fortmiller  kept  the  first  black- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  213 

smith  shop,  in  1855.  He  soon  went  to  Greengarden  Township 
to  take  up  farming. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  village  was  built  in  1856,  and 
was  used  as  a  dwelling-house  as  late  as  1878.  Josiah  Carpen- 
ter taught  the  first  school  after  its  erection.  The  first  school 
in  the  village,  however,  was  taught  by  Miss  Lizzie  Kent  before 
the  building  of  the  schoolhouse.  A  well-designed  schoolhouse 
was  built  in  1870;  it  was  a  two-story  frame,  and  cost  about 
$5,000.  The  principal  of  the  school  was  Prof.  0.  P.  Blatchly, 
with  Miss  Raver  as  assistant  teacher,  and  an  average  attend- 
ance of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  pupils. 

This  building  was  used  for  school  purposes  until  1925,  when 
it  was  removed  and  a  four-room  school  of  brick  was  erected. 
This  is  modern  in  every  detail  and  houses  an  excellent  graded 
school.    It  cost  $35,000. 

The  Methodist  Church  was  built  in  1856,  and  was  the  first 
church  edifice  in  both  the  village  and  the  township.  The  soc- 
iety was  originally  organized  in  the  "log  schoolhouse,"  one 
mile  east  of  the  village,  and  grew  out  of  the  society  formed  at 
Doty's,  as  elsewhere  mentioned.  The  building  is  a  frame,  cost 
about  $2,000  and  the  present  Pastor  is  Rev.  George  K,  Hoover. 
A  Sunday  School  is  maintained.  The  Baptist  Church  was  built 
in  1863,  a  frame  building,  costing  $1,600.  Rev.  David  Letts 
was  the  first  Pastor,  and  lives  now  in  Iowa.  Rev.  Stephen  Bar- 
terick  is  the  present  Pastor,  and  has  a  membership  of  thirty 
or  forty.  The  society  supports  a  flourishing  Sunday  School, 
of  which  the  Pastor  is  Superintendent.  The  German  Evangeli- 
cal Lutheran  (United)  Church  was  built  in  1868.  It  was  a 
frame  building  30x56  feet,  cost  $2,000  and  had  a  membership 
of  about  forty.  Rev.  T.  Walter  was  Pastor,  and  Superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  School.  The  growth  of  the  town  and  the  in- 
crease in  church  attendance,  made  a  new  church  desirable.  A 
brick  edifice  was  erected  in  1918.  It  is  a  beautiful  building, 
modern  and  complete  in  its  equipment.    It  is  prosperous  in 


214  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

every  way.  A  beautiful  parsonage  was  built  in  1925,  adjacent 
to  the  church. 

At  this  writing,  (1928),  Frankfort  Township  is  having  more 
improvements  than  any  other  township  in  the  county.  The 
Sauk  trail  of  the  Indians  passed  through  near  the  central  line 
of  this  township.  Later,  this  became  the  road  for  Conestoga 
wagons  and  later  than  that,  the  route  for  the  Oswego  and 
Indiana  plank  road.  This  plank  road  was  never  realized,  and 
the  right  of  way  was  sold  to  the  Cut-off  Railroad,  which  be- 
came the  Michigan  Central  and  is  now  part  of  the  New  York 
Central  lines.  Later  still,  about  1898,  an  electric  line  was  built 
parallel  to  the  Michigan  Central  and  everyone  hailed  it  as  a 
wonderful  success.  This  prospered  for  a  few  years  when  the 
rapid  development  of  automobiles  made  it  impracticable.  Then 
came  the  concrete  road,  now  the  Lincoln  Highway,  following 
the  general  line  of  the  old  Sauk  trail.  This  development  ren- 
dered the  electric  line  useless,  and  it  was  sold  for  junk.  The 
village  of  Frankfort  is  now  on  the  Lincoln  Highway.  This 
year  a  concrete  road  comes  through  Green  Garden  Township 
one  mile  from  the  east  edge  and  after  coming  into  Frankfort, 
proceeds  eastward  to  the  east  edge  of  the  village  of  Frankfort 
and  then  goes  due  north  to  the  city  of  Orland  in  Cook  County, 
where  it  becomes  a  part  of  the  complicated  highway  system 
around  Chicago.  This  will  give  the  village  of  Frankfort 
splendid  highways  and  affords  opportunity  for  transportation 
of  every  kind. 

All  other  main  highways  of  the  township  are  built  with 
water-bound  macadam.  These  stone  roads  connect  the  con- 
crete highways  so  that  farmers  have  splendid  outlet  in  every 
way. 

The  village  of  Mokena  does  not  have  any  concrete  road,  but 
it  is  connected  with  the  concrete  roads  in  the  south  and  the  east 
by  good  stone  roads  which  are  always  kept  in  good  condition. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  215 

In  this  way  it  enjoys  the  same  advantages  that  the  village  of 
Frankfort  does.  Mokena  is  developing  rapidly,  and  seems 
about  to  become  a  suburban  town  for  Chicago.  During  the 
past  year  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  has  installed  elaborate  sig- 
nal service  which  looks  forward  to  the  electrification  of  the 
railroads.  This  will  give  Mokena  splendid  service  to  and  from 
Chicago.  Practically  all  of  the  land  between  Mokena  and  Chi- 
cago adjacent  to  this  line  of  road  is  now  held  for  real  estate 
purposes.  The  next  10  years  should  see  a  remarkable  develop- 
ment of  this  neighborhood. 

The  agricultural  interests  in  the  township  develop  in  a 
splendid  way.  All  of  the  land  is  under  cultivation  and  drained 
thoroughly  so  that  all  of  it  may  be  farmed.  Dairying  is  the 
most  important  part  of  the  farming  industry.  Much  grain  is 
raised  but  much  of  it  never  goes  to  market  as  grain.  The 
farmers  find  it  more  profitable  to  feed  it  to  the  live  stock  and 
get  their  returns  in  that  way.  Trucks  are  used  to  gather  up 
the  milk  from  many  stations  in  the  township,  and  farmers 
have  very  little  difficulty  in  traveling  over  difficult  roads  which 
were  so  common  twenty  years  ago. 

Both  Mokena  and  Frankfort  are  important  business  cen- 
ters. Mokena  maintains  a  State  Bank  which  serves  its  com- 
munity and  the  surrounding  farmers.  It  is  a  prosperous  in- 
stitution. Frankfort  maintains  two  State  Banks  both  of  which 
are  doing  a  good  business  and  they  are  managed  efficiently, 
and  serve  both  the  village  and  the  surrounding  farming  com- 
munity. Both  villages  contain  general  stores.  These  have 
quite  a  struggle  to  make  ends  meet  because  people  travel  quick- 
ly and  easily  over  the  good  roads  to  the  larger  centers.  Both 
of  the  villages  are  prosperous. 

The  accounts  of  the  various  leaders  in  this  township  were 
given  in  the  biographical  part  of  this  history  and  need  not  be 
recounted  here. 


218  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Green  Garden  Township. — The  land  in  Greengarden  will 
not  suffer  in  comparison  with  any  other  township  in  the  coun- 
ty. Scarcely  an  acre,  except  what  is  taken  up  by  the  beds  of 
Prairie  and  Forked  Creeks,  is  untillable.  The  surface  is  gent- 
ly undulating,  none  being  either  too  rolling  or  too  flat  for  suc- 
cessful cultivation.  The  soil  is  all  that  the  agriculturist  or  the 
"Gardener"  could  desire,  being  deep  and  rich,  and  capable  of 
producing  enormous  crops  of  corn,  oats,  hay  and  vegetables 
of  every  kind.  The  two  creeks  named  both  rise  near  the  cen- 
ter, and  afford  stockwater  to  the  adjacent  farms,  except  in 
the  dryest  seasons,  when  they  are  sometimes  dried  up.  The 
township  is  entirely  devoid  of  a  natural  growth  of  timber,  and 
this  accounts  for  the  tardiness  of  its  settlement.  When  the 
township  of  Crete,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  and  all 
of  the  western  portion  of  the  county  had  been  well  settled,  this 
vicinity  was  just  beginning  to  receive  a  few  apparently  unwill- 
ing squatters.  They  came  from  the  heavily  wooded  States  of 
Vermont  and  New  York,  or  the  equally  densely  timbered  coun- 
tries of  the  old  world,  and,  finding  the  land  adjacent  to  the  lit- 
tle belts  of  timber  already  occupied,  were  loath  to  venture  out 
upon  the  prairie,  as  the  landsman  is  reluctant  to  venture  upon 
the  untried  waves  of  the  great  ocean.  The  absence  of  timber 
for  fuel,  fencing  and  building  purposes  was  certainly  a  great 
drawback.  Not  until  1865  was  it  known  that  within  a  few 
miles  was  a  condensed  forest  of  fuel  that  would  supply  all  this 
country  for  ages  to  come.  Then,  too,  the  prairie,  as  a  field  for 
farming  operations,  was  only  an  experiment.  It  looked  much 
to  them  as  if  an  absence  of  timber  might  indicate  a  dearth  in 
those  qualities  of  soil  necesary  to  produce  good  crops.  The 
subjugating  of  the  prairie,  though,  in  comparison  with  the 
clearing  of  the  eastern  farms,  a  trifle,  was,  in  their  eyes,  no 
small  matter.  The  little  barshare  plow,  with  the  wooden  mold- 
board,  in  common  use  in  the  East,  was  not  to  be  thought  of  to 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  217 

turn  over  the  thick  prairie  sod,  matted  with  grass-roots,  as 
hard  almost  as  hickory  withes.  But  soon  the  inventive  genius 
of  the  Yankee  supplied  an  article,  though  somewhat  rude  and 
unwieldy,  with  which  most  of  these  prairies  have  been  brought 
to  cultivation.  The  original  "sod-plow"  is  now  seen  no  more 
forever,  as  it  has  long  since  outlived  its  usefulness.  It  consisted 
of  a  large  share,  cutting  a  furrow  two  feet  in  width,  with  iron 
bars  for  a  mold-board.  The  beam  of  the  machine  was  fifteen 
feet  in  length.  No  handles  were  needed,  though  sometimes 
they  were  attached,  but  were  used  only  for  the  purpose  of  start- 
ing or  throwing  it  out  of  the  ground.  To  this  immense  machine 
were  hitched  from  five  to  eight  yoke  of  oxen.  The  breaking 
was  usually  done  late  in  the  spring;  and,  with  the  turning- 
over  of  the  sod  was  deposited  seed,  which  produced  an  inferior 
crop  of  corn  the  first  year,  growing  and  ripening  without  fur- 
ther attention.  From  this  crop  has  come  the  brand  of  a  fa- 
vorite drink  in  the  Western  country.  Hay  was  cut  with  scythes 
and  gathered  with  hand-rakes.  Wheat  was  cut  with  cradles 
and  threshed  by  causing  horses  to  tread  upon  it.  These  ancient 
landmarks  have  all  passed  away,  and  but  few  who  wielded 
them  remain  to  tell  us  the  story  of  these  and  the  many  other 
peculiar  institutions  of  the  olden  time.  The  first  to  venture 
out  on  the  almost  unknown  waste  of  the  prairies  of  Green- 
garden  Township  was  M.  F.  Sanders,  from  Vermont.  The  date 
of  his  advent  was  1847,  and  he  has  consequently  been  a  resi- 
dent thirty-one  years.  The  "Squire,"  as  he  is  familiarly  called, 
is  well  off  in  this  world's  goods,  having  not  only  survived  the 
hard  times  incident  to  pioneer  life,  but  had  something  "laid  by 
for  a  rainy  day."  He  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace,  and, 
in  that  capacity,  performed  the  first  marriage  ceremony  in 
the  township. 

G.  M.  Green,  or  "the  Deacon,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called, 
was  also  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  came  to  the  place  about  the 


218  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

same  time.  He  was  a  man  of  good  qualities  and  well  worthy 
to  bear  the  cognomen  universally  bestowed  upon  him.  He  re- 
moved from  this  place  to  Joliet,  where  he  died  some  years  ago. 

Following  these  two  families,  and  mainly  through  their  in- 
fluence, were  a  number  of  families  from  the  same  state.  Within 
three  or  four  years,  Rev.  James  Hudson,  Daniel  Haradon,  Da- 
vid McClay  and  Hiram  Twining  arrived  from  Vermont  and 
settled  in  the  same  neighborhood — the  northwest  part  of  the 
township.  These  people,  it  seems,  were  mostly  of  one  religious 
faith — being  that  denominated  Christians — not  the  branch 
sometimes  called  Disciples  or  Campbellites,  but  the  branch 
founded  by  Smith  and  others  some  seventy-five  years  ago,  and 
who  would  under  no  circumstances  acknowledge  any  other 
name  but  that  of  Christian.  In  Indiana,  Ohio,  Kentucky  and 
some  of  the  Eastern  States  are  many  of  this  persuasion;  but 
in  this  section  a  church  of  this  faith  is  rare.  Horace  Mann, 
one  of  the  greatest  acknowledged  educators  of  this  country, 
did  his  last  work  as  president  of  Antioch  College,  at  Yellow 
Springs,  Ohio,  the  college  then  being  one  of  the  educational 
institutions  of  the  denomination.  Elder  Hudson,  soon  after 
his  arrival,  organized  the  little  community  into  a  church;  and 
as  such  it  was  very  prosperous  for  a  few  years,  and  drew 
around  it  a  large  number  of  enlightened  and  substantial  peo- 
ple. But  the  good  man's  labors  were  not  of  long  duration. 
His  body  was  laid  away  beneath  the  prairie  sod  soon  after  his 
work  in  this  wild  field  had  been  successfully  inaugurated. 

Hiram  Twining  still  resided  on  the  old  place.  His  house, 
built  before  roads  or  partition  lines  were  definitely  known, 
proclaims  itself  to  be  one  of  the  ancient  landmarks,  by  not 
"being  placed  due  east  and  west,"  but  varying  from  that  usually 
accepted  rule  several  degrees.  In  this  house  many  of  the  early 
religious  and  other  meetings  were  held.  The  first  township 
and  school  elections  took  place  here,  it  being  nearer  the  center 
of  population  than  others  of  sufficient  size  for  the  purpose. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  219 

About  the  same  time,  the  Baileys  and  the  Bemiss  family 
arrived — the  former  from  New  York,  and  the  latter  from  Mich- 
igan. Morrison  and  Martin  Bailey  were  brothers.  They  were 
men  of  intelligence,  and  were  counted  as  leaders  in  society  and 
politics.  Morrison  Bailey  was  the  first  teacher  that  ever  pre- 
sided over  a  school  in  the  township.  At  the  first  township 
election,  held  in  1853,  Martin  was  elected  Moderator,  one  of 
the  four  overseers  of  highways,  justice  of  the  peace  and  super- 
visor. Morrison  Bailey  was  the  first  township  clerk.  The  Bai- 
leys removed  a  few  years  later. 

The  Bemiss  family  consisted  of  Simeon  and  three  grown 
sons — Ephraim,  James  and  Edwin.  In  the  first  election,  this 
family  was  also  honored  with  six  offices.  Simeon  was  elected 
commissioner  of  highways;  James,  clerk  pro  tern,  and  justice 
of  the  peace ;  and  Edwin,  road  overseer,  collector  and  constable. 
This  family  also  removed  from  the  township  after  a  short  resi- 
dence. 

Augustine  Hauser,  John  Young,  A.  A.  Angell,  D.  G.  Jaynes 
and  William  Hutchinson  were  also  early  settlers.  Hauser  was 
a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  came  here  with  a  little  fortune, 
which  he  proposed  to  double  in  a  short  time  in  the  manufacture 
of  cheese.  But  it  seems  he  was  a  little  ahead  of  the  time ;  for 
the  business,  which  to  those  embarking  in  a  few  years  later 
was  the  means  of  realizing  to  them  fortunes,  was  the  means  of 
his  complete  failure,  and  he  left  the  township  several  thousand 
dollars  poorer  than  when  he  came.  The  article  manufactured 
by  him  was,  it  is  said,  of  superior  quality;  but  the  reputation 
of  western  cheese  was  not  yet  made,  and,  on  account  of  the 
prejudice  of  dealers  and  consumers  for  the  eastern  product, 
Hauser's  scheme  proved  a  failure. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  the  settlement  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township  was  well  under  way,  another  settlement 
was  being  formed  a  little  further  east  and  south.  The  first 
settlement  was,  in  every  respect,  a  Yankee  enterprise,  while 


220  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  other  was  as  positively  German ;  and,  while  the  former  had 
for  its  central  point  its  church  organization,  so  also  had  the 
latter. 

The  Dierks  family  and  the  Strassens,  though  not  the  earliest 
German  settlers,  came  about  1851,  bringing  with  them  a 
preacher  of  their  own  faith,  and  immediately  set  about  the 
organization  of  a  society,  and  subsequently  of  erecting  a  house 
of  worship.  Probably,  the  very  first  German  in  the  township 
was  John  T.  Luehrs,  later  of  Monee,  who  had  come  to  this  vicin- 
ity three  years  before.  Following  him,  in  1849,  was  his  brother, 
F.  Luehrs.  The  Dierkses  were  cousins  to  Luehrs,  and  came 
over  at  the  instance  of  their  relatives  who  had  preceded  them. 
The  Dierks  family  consisted  of  Simon,  Fred  and  G.  A.  Dierks, 
who  have  since  all  removed  to  Nebraska.  On  the  recommenda- 
tion of  Luehrs,  amongst  numerous  other  families  scattered  all 
over  this  part  of  the  state,  came  to  the  township  in  1850,  0.  H. 
Remmers,  B.  B.  Henry,  A.  and  G.  G.  Beiken.  Peter  and  William 
Young,  from  the  same  country,  but  who  had  been  living  in 
Ohio,  also  came  in  1850.  The  Youngs  were  not  satisfied  here, 
and  sold  out,  William  returning  to  Ohio  and  Peter  moving 
further  south.  Fred  Hassenjager  and  Peter  Bowlander,  the 
latter  later  a  resident  of  Monee,  were  also  among  the  earliest 
Germans.  Hassenjager  is  an  example  of  what  industry  and 
economy  may  accomplish  in  the  face  of  deprivations  and  hard- 
ships incident  to  a  pioneer  life.  When  he  came  here,  he  was 
as  poor  as  the  poorest,  now  he  is  among  the  wealthiest  citizens 
of  this  part  of  the  county. 

One  of  the  most  important  public  acts  of  the  township  oc- 
curred about  the  close  of  the  period  of  the  two  settlements 
named,  and  was  the  separation  of  the  two  portions  of  Trenton 
Township,  now  designated  as  Manhattan  and  Greengarden. 
It  seems  to  have  been  the  understanding  from  the  first  that, 
when  both  sections  should  have  attained  to  a  population  suffi- 
ciently strong  for  separate  organization,  such  division  should 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  221 

take  place,  though  it  was  hardly  expected  that  it  would  take 
place  so  soon.  However,  owing  to  the  rapid  filling-up  of  each, 
it  was  found  not  only  feasible,  in  1853,  but  there  were  many 
reasons  adduced  for  separate  organization,  and  thus  a  "peace- 
able secession"  was  accomplished. 

Petitions  were,  therefore,  presented  to  the  proper  authori- 
ties, and,  by  them,  a  division  was  made,  accompanied  with  an 
order  to  hold  elections.  The  election  was  accordingly  held  in 
this  township,  the  first  meeting  taking  place  at  Hiram  Twin- 
ing's  house,  on  the  5th  day  of  April,  1855.  Martin  Bailey  was 
chosen  moderator  and  J.  N.  Bemiss,  clerk,  pro  tern.  The  re- 
sult of  the  ballot  was  the  election  of  Martin  Bailey,  as  super- 
visor; Morrison  Bailey,  clerk;  Edwin  Bemiss,  collector;  George 
M.  Green,  assessor;  A.  A.  Angell,  overseer  of  the  poor;  Martin 
Bailey  and  J.  N.  Bemis,  justices  of  the  peace;  Edwin  P.  Bemiss 
and  A.  A.  Angell,  constables,  and  John  Young,  Simeon  Bemiss 
and  D.  G.  Jaynes,  commissioners  of  highways.  Of  these,  Mar- 
tin Bailey  had  been  justice  before,  during  the  union  of  the 
two  townships,  and  administered  the  oath  to  the  judges  and 
clerk  on  this  occasion. 

At  the  first  election,  there  were  twenty-seven  voters  pres- 
ent. It  will  be  noticed  that  the  present  officers  are  German, 
while  the  first  corps  of  officers  were  as  decidedly  Yankee.  Dur- 
ing the  first  few  years,  the  settlement  was  marked  by  a  pre- 
ponderance of  Americans ;  but  of  later  years,  the  German  ele- 
ment not  only  increased  more  rapidly,  but,  in  reality,  most 
of  the  Yankee  population  has  disappeared,  having  sold  out 
their  farms  to  the  Germans. 

In  1851,  a  post  office  was  established  in  the  Yankee  settle- 
ment in  Green  Garden  Township  with  Rev.  James  Hudson  as 
postmaster.  The  office  was  called  Greengarden,  and  has  been 
in  existence  ever  since,  though  for  the  last  two  or  three  years 
its  location  has  been  within  the  bounds  of  Manhattan  Town- 
ship.  These  country  postoffices,  like  some  orphan  children,  have 


222  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

a  kind  of  vagrant  existence,  with  no  certain  home,  but  travel 
from  place  to  place  at  the  pleasure  or  forbearance  of  their 
keepers.  Greengarden  Postoffice  has  been  no  exception,  as  it 
had  many  homes.  Sometimes  it  was  sought,  and  at  other  times 
it  did  not  know  where  to  take  up  even  a  temporary  abode. 

Green  Garden  Township  is  strictly  rural  as  it  was  half  a 
century  ago.  It  is  one  of  the  best  agriculture  sections  of 
Will  County.  All  of  the  land  has  been  drained  so  that  it  may 
be  cultivated.  Farmers  are  prosperous  giving  most  of  their 
time  to  the  raising  of  grain  for  which  they  now  have  con- 
venient markets  along  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  the  Mich- 
igan Central  Railroad,  and  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  Gary 
Railroad  which  is  a  new  road  built  about  twenty  years  ago. 

The  township  retains  the  school  districts  in  the  shape  in 
which  they  were  laid  out  at  first,  each  one  being  two  miles 
square.  Each  district  maintains  a  school  for  eight  months  in 
the  year.  The  attendance  has  fallen  off  during  the  past  decade 
so  that  it  is  less  than  one-third  of  what  it  was  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ago.  This  is  due  in  part  to  the  increased  size  of  the 
farms  and  in  part  to  the  fact  that  the  residents  are  older 
people. 

A  concrete  road  is  being  constructed  which  passes  through 
the  township  from  north  to  south,  one  mile  from  the  east  edge 
of  the  township.  At  the  north  edge  of  the  township  it  swings 
eastward  and  strikes  the  village  of  Frankfort  on  the  east  edge. 
This  road  will  be  completed  during  the  present  summer  (1928). 
A  stone  road  crosses  the  township  from  north  to  south  along 
the  central  line.  This  stone  road  is  connected  with  Monee  by 
a  good  stone  road  which  runs  east  from  the  town  hall  in  the 
center  of  the  township.  It  was  completed  in  1927.  Plans  are 
complete  to  finish  this  road  westward  to  Manhattan  thus  giv- 
ing it  two  good  roads  across  the  entire  township  and  the  con- 
crete road  along  the  east  edge.  Green  Garden  has  not  had  as 
many  good  roads  as  other  townships  in  the  county  because  it 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  223 

was  farther  removed  from  road  building  material  than  any 
other  one.  Here  again  improved  transportation  by  means  of 
trucks  has  aided  very  materially. 

While  the  first  settlers  in  Green  Garden  Township  were 
known  as  Yankees  because  they  originated  in  the  east,  the 
present  population  is  almost  entirely  German.  They  are  hon- 
est, industrious,  home  loving  people,  devoted  to  their  family, 
and  faithful  to  their  friends. 

Homer  Township.— The  classical  land  of  Homer — the  site  of 
the  famous  "Yankee  Settlement,"  and  peopled  from  the  old 
and  refined  states  of  the  Union,  is  one  of  the  finest  townships 
of  Will  County. 

The  first  settlements  in  Homer  Township  was  before  the 
Sac  war,  during  which  period  some  of  the  settlers  fled  with 
their  families  to  the  Wabash  settlements  and  others  to  Fort 
Dearborn  at  Chicago,  but  returned  to  the  settlements  and 
joined  Sisson's  company  in  the  blockhouse  so  often  referred 
to  In  these  pages.  The  following  names  were  among  those  be- 
longing to  Captain  Sisson's  company  in  the  blockhouse  during 
the  Indian  war:  Benjamin  Butterfield,  Thomas  Fitzsimons, 
James  Glover,  John  McMahon,  Joseph  Johnson,  James  Ritchey, 
Edward  Poor,  Joseph  and  James  Cox,  John  Helm,  Salmon 
Goodenow,  Joseph  McCune,  Selah  Lanfear,  Peter  Polly,  David 
and  Alva  Crandall.  Of  these,  Joseph  Johnson  and  his  two  sons 
are  supposed  to  be  the  first  settlers  in  Homer  Township.  They 
were  from  Ohio,  and  came  in  the  fall  of  1830,  and  were  in  the 
town  during  the  winter  of  the  deep  snow,  and  suffered  all  the 
hardships  of  that  dreary  winter.  The  elder  Johnson  died  in 
the  summer  of  1846.  James  Ritchey  came  from  Ohio,  and 
settled  here  in  the  spring  of  1831.  He  made  a  trip  through 
the  country  in  November  of  1830  and  selected  his  location,  and 
moved  out  in  the  following  spring.  During  his  first  trip  to  the 
country,  in  the  fall  of  1830,  he  says,  as  he  wandered  through 


224  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

dismal  swamps,  dark  forests  and  lonely  prairies  he  for  the  first 
time  in  a  long  trip  wished  himself  safe  back  at  home.  Joseph 
and  James  Cox  came  from  Indiana  in  1831,  but  whether  that 
was  their  native  state  or  not  we  are  unable  to  say.  John  Mc- 
Mahon  is  the  first  who  settled  in  what  was  termed  Gooding's 
Grove.  He  made  a  claim  there  and  sold  it  to  Gooding,  upon 
his  arrival  in  1832.  McMahon  came  from  Indiana  but  was 
originally  from  Ohio,  and  was  here  during  the  Indian  war. 
Salmon  Goodenow  was  from  Ohio,  but  had  lived  some  time  in 
Indiana  before  settling  in  this  township  in  1832.  Joseph  Mc- 
Cune  was  his  brother-in-law,  and  after  the  war  was  over,  re- 
turned to  Indiana,  where  he  remained  for  a  time  and  then 
came  back  and  settled  in  what  was  called  Jackson's  Grove. 
Goodenow  moved  down  about  Reed's  Grove,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  John  Helm  came  from  Indiana  and 
settled  in  Gooding's  Grove  in  1832.  He  went  to  Indiana  during 
the  war,  and  when  it  was  over,  came  back  to  the  Grove  and 
found  James  Gooding  on  his  claim,  and  sold  it  to  him  for  $10, 
and  shook  the  dust  of  Yankee  Settlement  from  off  his  feet. 
Benjamin  Butterfield,  who  lived  on  the  place  afterward  occu- 
pied by  Jireh  Rowley,  and  which  Rowley  bought  from  him  on 
his  arrival  in  the  country,  was  an  Eastern  man,  but  had  been 
living  some  time  in  Indiana  before  removing  to  Homer.  He 
is  noticed  in  Lockport,  also,  and  as  removing  to  Iowa,  where 
he  was  living  when  last  heard  from.  Peter  Polly  and  a  younger 
brother  were  in  the  fort,  and  came  from  Indiana  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1832.  Selah  Lanfear  was  from  New  York,  and  came 
to  the  settlement  in  1832.  He  is  said  to  have  first  settled  in 
Lockport  Township.  Yankee  Settlement  extended  to  the  river 
in  Lockport  Township,  and  it  is  a  rather  difficult  task  some- 
times to  keep  all  on  their  respective  sides  of  the  fence.  David 
and  Alva  Crandall  were  from  New  York,  and  came  to  the  settle- 
ment in  1832.  Both  were  in  the  fort  and  Alva  was  orderly 
sergeant  of  Captain  Sisson's  company,  while  David  was  a  pri- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  225 

vate  in  the  same  command.  John  Blackstone,  or  Judge  Black- 
stone,  who  settled  at  Hadley  Postoffice,  was  first  lieutenant  of 
this  military  company,  while  John  Ray,  a  brother-in-law  of 
Blackstone's,  was  second  lieutenant.  They  were  from  Ohio, 
and  married  in  the  Glover  family.  Thomas  Fitzsimons  was 
from  New  York,  and  came  in  1832.  He  started  to  California 
during  the  gold  excitement  of  1849  and  1850,  and  died  before 
reaching  his  destination.  James  Glover  was  from  Ohio,  and 
settled  in  the  town  in  1831  or  1832.  He  went  to  Iowa  in  1854, 
and  was  alive  at  the  last  heard  from  him.  Two  others  belonged 
to  the  military  band  who  were  Homer  settlers,  viz.,  Ashing  and 
McGahan,  but  of  them  little  could  be  ascertained.  This,  so  far 
as  can  now  be  ascertained,  comprised  the  settlement  of  Homer 
Township,  or,  as  it  was  then  called,  Yankee  Settlement,  at  the 
time  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  the  names  above  given  were 
in  the  blockhouse  in  1832,  and  were  members  of  Captain  Sis- 
son's  company.  Nearly  all  of  them  are  gone  to  join  that  army 
of  white-robed  saints  over  on  the  other  shore,  where  the  pale- 
face and  the  savage  do  not  war  with  each  other,  but  sit  down 
in  peace  together  in  the  Father's  kingdom.  None  are  known 
to  be  alive  now  except  James  Ritchey  and  Edward  Poor;  the 
former  is  extremely  sprightly,  except  his  blindness,  for  a  man 
of  his  years,  and  possesses  a  most  wonderful  memory.  In  fact, 
his  recollections  of  the  time  spent  in  the  fort  are  as  vivid  as 
though  of  recent  occurrence.  Mr.  Poor,  as  stated,  lives  in  New 
Lenox  Township.  Several  of  the  others  were  alive  when  last 
heard  from,  but  as  they  have  removed  to  other  states  there 
is  no  definite  information  concerning  them.  Their  captain, 
Holder  Sisson,  died  but  a  few  months  ago,  as  noticed  in  the 
history  of  Lockport  Township. 

Luther  C.  Chamberlain  came  from  New  York  in  1832,  and 
purchased  a  claim  to  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Homer  Township, 
and  a  claim  to  eighty  acres  of  Canal  land,  then  returned  to 
New  York,  and  in  January,  1833,  came  back,  bringing  his  two 

15— VOL.  1 


226  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

sons  with  him.  His  son,  S.  S.  Chamberlain  (now  of  Lockport), 
rode  an  Indian  pony  through  from  New  York,  which  his 
father  had  purchased  at  Plainfield  on  his  first  trip.  Through 
representations  made  by  Mr.  Chamberlain  on  his  return  home 
from  his  first  trip  to  this  section,  when  he  came  back  in  1833, 
the  following  gentlemen  came  with  him  to  look  at  the  country: 
Ebenezer  Griswold,  Warren  Hanks  (a  bachelor  at  the  time), 
Captain  Rowley  and  his  son,  J.  B.  Rowley  (the  latter  still  liv- 
ing in  Homer),  Oscar  Hawley  (oldest  son  of  Lyman  Hawley, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  clerk  of  Will  County),  Abram  Snapp 
(father  of  Hon.  Henry  Snapp  of  Joliet),  and  Dr.  Weeks  (the 
father  of  Judge  Weeks  of  Joliet).  The  most  of  these  returned 
for  their  families,  and  came  back  and  settled  in  this  township, 
of  whom  were  Dr.  Weeks,  Captain  Rowley  and  Mr.  Snapp; 
here  they  lived,  honored  and  respected  citizens  to  the  day  of 
their  death.  Mr.  Chamberlain  settled  where  Rev.  Mr.  Cowell 
now  lives,  and  planted  the  beautiful  row  of  maple  trees  that 
are  now  the  admiration  of  all  who  pass  that  way,  and  are 
said  to  be  the  first  trees  planted  in  Homer  Township.  He  died 
in  May,  1878,  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  S.  S.  Chamberlain 
said  he  slept  in  Lockport  for  the  first  time  on  the  night  of 
February  27,  1833,  and  that  there  was  not  another  man  living 
in  1878,  so  far  as  his  knowledge  extended  that  could  with  truth 
say  the  same.  He  said  that  he  heard  his  father  and  Captain 
Rowley  remark  that  the  prairies  of  Homer  would  never  be 
settled  in  their  lifetime,  and  they  would  always  have  it  for  the 
range  of  their  stock,  and  in  four  years  there  was  not  an 
"eighty"  left  vacant.  Deacon  James  Gooding,  the  father  of 
William,  Jasper  A.  and  James  Gooding,  Jr.,  was  from  New 
York  and  came  to  this  township  and  settled  in  Gooding's  Grove 
in  1832.  He  was  sixty  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  the  settle- 
ment, and  lived  at  the  Grove  bearing  his  name  until  his  death. 
His  son,  William  Gooding,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  history  of 
Lockport  Township,  planted  a  nursery  and  cultivated  an  ex- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  227 

tensive  orchard  here,  perhaps  the  first  effort  at  fruit-growing 
in  the  township,  or  even  in  Will  County.  Benjamin  Weaver 
came  from  New  York  in  the  fall  of  1833,  and  died  in  1870,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  John  Lane  was  also  from 
New  York,  and  came  to  the  settlement  in  1833.  He  was  the 
inventor  of  the  first  steel  breaking-plow  ever  used  in  Northern 
Illinois  or  in  the  Western  country.  He  has  been  dead  many 
years.  Frederick  and  Addison  Collins  were  from  New  York 
State,  and  were  brothers.  Addison  was  a  lawyer  by  profes- 
sion, and  had  practiced  for  a  time  in  Rochester  before  remov- 
ing West.  He  went  to  the  Legislature  from  this  county,  and  it 
is  said  that  it  was  through  him  that  Governor  Matteson's  little 
speculation  in  Canal  scrip  was  discovered.  But  this  is  familiar 
to  all  our  readers,  and  is  withal  an  unpleasant  theme,  so  we 
will  pass  it  without  further  allusion.  Addison  Collins  died  in 
this  town  in  March,  1864. 

Jireh  Rowley  came  from  Monroe  County,  New  York,  in 
1833,  and  settled  on  Section  19,  where  he  lived  about  three  years 
when  he  sold  out  and  entered  land  on  Section  34,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  December,  1844,  on 
the  place  now  occupied  by  his  son,  A.  G.  Rowley.  Calvin  Row- 
ley, another  son,  came  out  in  1832,  driving  a  peddler-wagon  all 
the  way  through  from  New  York.  He  made  a  claim,  on  which 
he  erected  a  cabin,  and  in  which  the  family  moved  upon  their 
arrival.  Calvin  Rowley  moved  to  the  city  of  Rockf ord.  Hiram 
Rowley,  another  son,  lived  in  Chicago,  and  J.  B.  and  Phineas  K. 
Rowley,  two  other  sons,  lived  in  this  township,  where  they  were 
prosperous  farmers.  The  Rowleys  bought  their  claim  from 
Benjamin  Butterfield,  who  had  entered  the  land  where  "Squire 
Rowley"  now  lives.  The  elder  Rowley  had  married  a  second 
wife  before  leaving  New  York — a  Mrs.  Gray,  who  had  several 
children,  and  they  came  West  with  the  Rowley  family.  They 
came  round  the  lakes  on  their  way  here,  in  an  old  schooner, 
and  landed  at  Chicago,  when  Chicago  was  not,  but  a  swampy 


228  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

marsh  called  Chicago,  since  grown  into  the  recognized  metrop- 
olis of  the  Northwest.  Their  landing  at  Chicago,  and  their  trip 
from  there  to  Homer,  is  graphically  described  by  Squire  Row- 
ley in  an  article  written  in  1876  for  the  Joliet  Sun:  "On  or 
about  the  17th  of  July,  1833,  the  sail-vessel  Amaranth  an- 
chored in  Lake  Michigan,  nearly  opposite  Fort  Dearborn  (Chi- 
cago) after  a  voyage  of  three  weeks  out  from  Buffalo,  New 
York,  and  having  on  board  about  seventy-five  souls,  and  among 
them  was  the  writer,  then  a  boy  about  ten  years  old.  The 
vessel  was  relieved  of  her  cargo  by  means  of  small  boats,  and 
the  passengers  after  being  taken  on  shore,  were  entertained 
as  best  they  could  be,  'in  and  around'  the  residence  of  Herman 
Bond,  which  was  built  of  logs  and  sods,  and  was  located  near 
the  foot  of  Monroe  Street.  Chicago  then  consisted  of  the  fort 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the  house  of  John  Kinzie,  and  some 
French  shanties  on  the  North  Side,  the  hotel  kept  by  Ingersoll, 
at  the  forks,  a  store  at  Wolf  Point,  the  intersection  of  Lake 
and  South  Water  streets,  the  frame  of  what  was  afterward 
called  the  Mansion  House,  on  the  north  side  of  Lake,  between 
Dearborn  and  State  streets,  a  few  other  shanties,  and  the  'pala- 
tial residence'  of  our  host.  After  taking  in  Chicago  the  next 
day,  three  of  the  several  families  who  had  journeyed  together 
thus  far  chartered  some  'prairie  schooners'  and  'set  saiP  for 
their  destination,  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Homer,  Will 
County.  This  colony  was  composed  of  the  families  of  Capt. 
Jireh  Rowley,  John  Lane  and  Charles  M.  Gray,  the  latter,  now 
and  for  many  years  past,  freight  agent  of  the  Michigan  South- 
ern Railroad  at  Chicago.  We  made  our  way  as  we  could 
through  the  tall  rosin  weeds,  with  very  little  track,  to  Law- 
ton's  (now  Riverside)  and  thence  to  Flagg  Creek.  Here  we 
found  the  body  of  a  log  cabin  and  the  owner,  Mr.  E.  Wentworth, 
whose  place  in  after  years  became  quite  a  noted  stage  stand. 
We  fought  the  mosquitoes  until  morning,  and  after  partaking 
of  our  frugal  meal,  we  launched  out  upon  the  prairie,  and  at 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  229 

noon  halted  at  the  Big  Spring  near  Lilly-Cache  Grove,  and  upon 
what  is  now  the  farm  of  Thomas  J.  Sprague.  After  refresh- 
ments, we  moved  on,  crossing  the  Des  Planes  River  at  what 
was  known  as  Butterfield's  Ford,  opposite  the  present  town  of 
Lockport,  and  near  nightfall  arrived  at  our  destination,  all 
weary  and  sad.  Calvin  Rowley  (now  of  Rockford)  who  came 
on  prior  to  the  Sac  war,  was  here  and  had  erected  a  log  cabin 
in  the  timber,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  the  river.  Here 
we  stayed  until  other  and  better  places  could  be  provided.  On 
looking  around  we  found  already  here,  Selah  Lanfear,  Luther 
Chamberlain,  Holder  Sisson,  Capt.  Fuller,  Armstead  Runyon, 
Edward  Poor,  James  Ritchey,  John  Blackstone,  John  Stitt,  and 
a  few  others  settled  in  what  was  afterward  called  the  Yankee 
Settlement."  We  offer  no  apology  for  this  lengthy  extract,  but 
deem  it  very  appropriate  in  these  pages.  It  is  but  the  reflex 
of  hundreds  of  the  early  settlers  and  their  early  experiences, 
as  many  of  our  readers  will  be  able  to  testify  when  they  peruse 
this  work. 

The  first  postoffice  was  established  in  Homer  Township  in 
1836.  This  was  the  Yankee  Settlement,  bear  in  mind,  and  the 
Yankees  were  wide-awake,  intelligent  people,  and  would  not 
be  deprived  of  their  mail  and  other  reading  matter.  The  office, 
was  called  Hadley,  for  Hadley,  Mass.,  from  which  some  of  the 
settlers  came  who  were  active  in  getting  it,  and  Reuben  Beach 
was  appointed  postmaster.  A  store  was  opened  by  Pratt  & 
Howard,  and  Hadley  became  quite  a  business  place,  with  some 
chance  of  becoming  a  town.  At  one  time  it  boasted  two  stores, 
a  postoffie,  blacksmith  shop,  church,  etc.,  but  railroads  and 
the  canal  changed  the  order  of  things,  and  the  glory  of  Hadley 
waned.  Before  the  office  was  established  here,  the  settlers  of 
Homer  went  to  the  postoffice  on  Hickory  Creek,  at  "Uncle 
Billy"  Gougar's,  for  their  mail  matter,  and  right  gladly  forked 
over  their  quarters  (which  was  then  the  postage  on  letters, 
payable  at  the  office  of  delivery)  for  the  long-wished-f or  letter 


230  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

from  the  old  home  in  the  Yankee  States.  When  the  postoffice 
was  established  at  Hadley,  the  mail  was  carried  on  horseback 
from  Chicago,  but  a  few  years  later,  a  mail-route  was  formed 
between  Michigan  City  and  Joliet,  and  then  it  was  brought  to 
Hadley  over  this  route  in  a  kind  of  open  hack  or  stage. 

The  first  store  in  the  township  was  kept  by  Norman  Haw- 
ley,  on  Hawley  Hill,  in  1835.  The  goods  were  hauled  from 
Chicago  by  ox-team  express,  then  the  usual  mode  of  transpor- 
tation. This  spot  once  made  some  pretensions  toward  becom- 
ing a  village;  but,  as  Josh  Billings  said  of  the  attempt  of  the 
tv/o  railroad  trains  to  pass  each  other  on  a  single  track,  "it 
was  a  shocking  failure."  Mr.  Lanfear  built  the  first  house  on 
the  hill;  the  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township  was  built  there, 
then  a  blacksmith  shop  and  the  store  itself.  Reuben  Beach 
built  a  sawmill  on  Spring  Creek  about  1838  or  1839,  and  several 
years  later,  Jaques  &  Morse  built  a  steam  sawmill.  These 
were  the  only  efforts  made  in  the  mill  business  in  this  town- 
ship. Before  Beach  put  his  mill  in  operation,  the  settlers  used 
to  haul  what  little  lumber  they  were  forced  to  use,  from  Col. 
Sayre's  mill  on  Hickory  Creek.  With  the  lumber  thus  pro- 
cured some  of  their  first  shanties  were  built,  while  others  were 
built  of  logs,  "chinked  and  daubed/'  and  had  chimneys  made 
of  sticks  and  mud. 

The  first  school  in  Homer  was  taught  by  D.  C.  Baldwin, 
the  veteran  hardware  merchant  of  Lockport,  and  was  taught 
in  the  winter  of  1834-35,  on  Section  19,  in  a  little  log  shanty 
with  stick  chimney,  which  had  been  put  up  as  a  "claim  hut" 
and  abandoned.  It  is  said  by  some  that  a  Miss  Sallie  Warren 
taught  a  school  before  Baldwin,  but  from  the  most  reliable 
facts  now  to  be  had,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  Baldwin  preceded 
her.  The  next  summer  after  Baldwin's  school,  Miss  Abigail 
Raymond  taught  a  school  in  a  building  that  had  been  put  up 
for  a  cow  stable,  on  the  place  of  Deacon  Lanfear.  The  first 
house  for  school  purposes  was  built  on  Hawley  Hill,  by  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  231 

neighbors,  who  donated  the  time,  labor  and  material.  An  old 
settler — but  young  enough  then  to  shoot  paper  wads  in  that 
primitive  building — thus  alludes  to  some  of  the  comforts  and 
conveniences  pertaining  to  it:  "Our  seats  and  desks  were  made 
of  split  puncheons,  and  our  'persuaders'  and  'reminders'  were 
the  young  hickories  growing  around  the  schoolhouse."  Among 
the  scholars  who  attended  this  early  temple  of  learning,  were 
some  of  the  brightest  men  of  Will  County,  of  whom  we  may 
mention  Hon.  Horace  Anderson,  Hon.  Henry  Snapp,  Judge  C. 
H.  Weeks,  N.  L.  Hawley,  Esq.,  Judge  E.  S.  Williams,  of  the 
Cook  County  Circuit  Court,  and  others.  Mrs.  Fred  Collins, 
then  Miss  White,  taught  a  school  in  the  settlement  in  a  little 
log  cabin,  still  standing  on  Mr.  Collins'  farm,  in  1838.  But  the 
schools  of  Homer  have  increased  since  that  day,  as  we  find  in 
1872,  there  were  in  the  township  eight  districts  and  nine  school- 
houses.  There  were  412  pupils  enrolled,  sixteen  teachers  em- 
ployed, at  a  cost  of  $2,213.53.  The  total  expenditures  of  the 
year  were  $2,683.30,  leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of 
$122.67. 

The  first  church  organized  in  Will  County  is  said  to  have 
been  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Hadley,  in  this  township,  by 
Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  the  pioneer  of  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sion Society  in  the  Northwest.  The  society  was  organized  about 
1833  or  1834,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Porter  and  Elder  Freeman,  both 
of  Chicago  then,  preached  alternately  for  some  time  at  this 
place;  and  people  of  all  religious  beliefs  within  a  radius  of  ten 
or  fifteen  miles  would  come  together  and  worship  God  without 
the  restraints  resulting  from  closely-drawn  sectarian  lines,  as 
at  the  present  day.  Mrs.  Mason  says  they  owned  a  yoke  of 
oxen  and  Mr.  Gooding  a  wagon.  On  Sunday  they  would  hitch 
their  oxen  to  his  wagon,  and  both  families  jump  in,  and  off  they 
would  go  ten  miles  to  "meeting."  Churches  there  were  none. 
Religious  services  were  held  in  the  groves — "God's  first  tem- 
ples"— and  at  the  cabins  of  the  settlers.    The  first  church  was 


232  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

built  at  Hadley  about  1838  and  1839,  and  was  church  and  school- 
house  combined.  The  people  met  in  it,  of  all  denominations, 
and  were  not  selfish  nor  confined  to  one  particuler  sect.  But 
the  church  there  passed  away  and  the  society  drifted  into  the 
Congregational  Church,  near  the  center  of  the  township.  This 
edifice  was  erected  in  1862;  it  was  a  near  frame,  and  cost  $1,500. 
Rev.  George  Slosser  was  the  first  preacher.  The  membership 
was  rather  small;  decreased  by  death  and  removal,  but  was  in  a 
flourishing  state  in  1878.  Rev.  Mr.  McKee  was  the  pastor  at 
that  time  and  William  Storm,  Superintendent  of  the  large  Sun- 
day school.  The  Baptist  Church  at  Hadley  was  originally 
organized  by  Elder  A.  B.  Freeman,  as  already  stated.  He  was 
the  first  Baptist  preacher  in  Northern  Illinois,  and  is  said  to 
have  baptized  the  first  person  on  the  western  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan  in  April,  1834.  The  church  was  built  there  a  year  or 
two  before  the  Congregational  Church  above  mentioned.  It 
had  a  large  membership  and  a  flourishing  Sunday  school,  but 
no  regular  pastor  at  that  time. 

As  stated  in  the  introduction  to  this  chapter,  Homer  has 
neither  railroads,  large  towns  nor  villages;  but  one  or  two  small 
country  stores,  a  blacksmith-shop  or  two,  a  post  office  at  Had- 
ley and  at  Gooding's  Grove,  and  two  neat  and  tasty  little  church 
edifices.  Aside  from  this,  the  town  is  devoted  wholly  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  as  to  the  productiveness  of  the  land,  it 
is  not  surpassed  in  the  county,  and  scarcely  in  the  State." 

When  Homer  was  first  settled,  its  prairies  were  considered 
the  most  beautiful  that  the  enthusiastic  Yankee  had  seen.  They 
were  just  rolling  enough  to  resemble  the  billows  of  the  ocean 
after  a  storm  had  passed,  and  the  thick  grass,  three  or  four 
feet  high,  overtopped  with  fragrant  blossoms,  might — with- 
out violence  to  the  comparison — have  been  taken  for  the  land 
of  Beulah,  which  Bunyan  "saw  in  his  dream,"  lying  on  the 
borders  of  the  Celestial  City. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  233 

The  early  history  of  Homer  Township,  which  has  been  given 
as  it  is  found  in  the  publication  of  1878,  said  that  Homer  had 
neither  railroad,  large  town  nor  village.  This  is  true  in  1928. 
Perhaps  not  entirely  because  the  Wabash  Railroad  run§, 
through  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  township  for  a  distance 
of  about  one-third  of  a  mile.  In  1878,  it  had  a  Post  Office  at 
Hadley  and  one  at  Gooding's  Grove.  Both  of  these  have  dis- 
appeared because  rural  delivery  made  them  unnecessary. 
Blacksmith  shops  are  no  longer  maintained,  although  the  build- 
ing stands  at  Gooding's  Grove  as  well  as  at  Hadley. 

Homer  has  a  good  stone  road  crossing  the  township  from 
east  to  west  and  another  stone  road  crossing  most  of  the  town- 
ship one  mile  south  of  the  Cook  County  line.  Two  cross  roads 
of  stone  connect  these  two.  The  development  of  the  State  high- 
way system  will  undoubtedly  bring  a  concrete  road  through 
the  northern  section,  passing  through  Gooding's  Grove  and 
going  straight  west  to  intercept  Route  4  to  Chicago. 

Homer  still  remains  largely  agriculturally  inclined.  There 
are  many  good  homes  and  it  contains  more  people  than  any 
other  township,  without  villages.  Its  schools  are  well  patron- 
ized and  well  supported.  The  people  are  never  found  lacking 
when  it  comes  to  the  support  of  schools,  either  in  paying  taxes 
or  in  giving  attention  to  the  many  little  details  which  help 
to  make  a  good  school. 

The  first  settlers  came  into  the  Yankee  Settlement,  and  this 
name  indicating  the  place  from  whence  they  came.  Most  of  the 
farmers  of  the  township  at  the  present  time  are  of  German 
parentage.  During  the  past  ten  years  a  goodly  number  of 
farmers  of  the  Slavish  peoples  have  come  in.  All  of  these  are 
honest,  industrious  people  who  devote  themselves  to  their 
homes  and  to  farming. 


234  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Early  Will  County  Days. — (By  Mrs.  J.  D.  Frazer,  mother 
of  J.  D.  Frazer,  deceased,  and  grandmother  of  James  Frazer 
of  Homer  1928  and  Lyle  Frazer,  formerly  of  Homer,  now  in 
New  Lenox.    Published  in  Joliet  News,  Sept.  18, 1906.) 

In  the  year  1833  three  men  living  in  the  town  of  Pittsf ord, 
N.  Y.,  who  had  become  tired  of  working  among  the  stumps  and 
stones  decided  to  go  to  the  then  far  west. 

Their  names  were  Captain  Jirah  Rowley,  Mr.  Garrett  and 
John  Saneson,  the  inventor  of  the  steel  plow,  who  was  my 
father. 

They  had  heard  such  glowing  descriptions  of  the  prairies 
in  Illinois  where  all  that  was  necessary  to  raise  a  crop  of  corn 
was  to  break  the  sod  with  an  axe,  chop  a  place  and  drop  in  a 
kernel. 

Then  the  problem  was  the  best  way  to  get  there  and  at  last 
they  thought  best  to  go  by  water.  They  went  to  Buffalo  and 
chartered  a  schooner  to  bring  them  to  Chicago.  In  four  weeks 
arrived  in  Chicago,  stayed  one  night  in  that  place.  The  vessel 
was  owned  by  Captain  Ransom.  When  we  arrived  in  Chicago 
it  was  found  that  it  was  marked  with  a  "C"  which  meant 
"condemned." 

As  far  as  I  know  I  am  the  only  living  one  today  that  took 
that  trip  on  the  condemned  schooner.  The  only  way  to  travel 
about  on  the  prairie  at  that  time  was  in  a  prairie  schooner. 
I  suppose  many  old  settlers  remember  them.  They  were  large 
covered  wagons  with  five  or  six  yoke  of  cattle  to  draw  them. 
Captain  Rowley  left  Chicago  the  next  day  and  came  to  the 
town  of  Holmes  then  known  as  Yankee  settlement.  There  was 
a  log  house  on  the  site  that  is  now  owned  by  Charles  Wilson. 
Two  of  Captain  Rowley's  sons  were  there.  They  went  the 
year  before  and  when  their  two  families  arrived  there  were 
about  twenty  in  all.  Captain  Rowley's  family  consisted  of 
himself  and  wife  and  three  sons.    Mrs.  Rowley  had  four  chil- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  235 

dren  with  her  by  a  former  marriage — all  grown.  Their  name 
was  Grey. 

My  father,  mother  and  four  children  and  a  young  man 
named  Steve  Hartwell  comprised  our  family. 

I  recollect  very  little  of  that  trip  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago 
as  I  was  a  child  only  three  years  old.  Some  few  things  im- 
pressed me.  I  remember  Aunt  Rowley  and  mother  complain- 
ing about  those  hard  sea  biscuits  and  wished  for  a  piece  of 
good  bread.  I  had  a  bowl  of  molasses  and  water  to  dip  my 
biscuit  in  and  thought  it  delicious.  Just  then  the  schooner 
gave  a  lurch  and  away  went  their  cups  of  tea  and  biscuits  to 
the  floor. 

When  the  big  boom  of  the  schooner  used  to  swing  around 
I  learned  to  drop  down  on  the  deck  and  let  it  swing  over  me. 
Then,  too,  I  remember  the  boat  sometimes  refused  to  move.  I 
think  we  made  a  stop  at  Detroit  and  the  young  people  went  on 
shore  and  picked  strawberries. 

My  father  was  fortunate  in  finding  a  log  house  built  that 
some  one  had  deserted.  It  was  on  the  farm  that  Hall  Reed 
lives  on. 

My  people  suffered  many  hardships.  The  first  winter  the 
house  wasn't  properly  "chinked"  and  mother  used  to  tack  up 
quilts  and  blankets  to  keep  out  the  cold.  The  chimney  was 
poor.  The  lower  part  was  built  of  stones  and  then  topped  out 
with  sticks  and  clay.  It  was  built  outside  of  the  house  and 
sometimes  it  used  to  catch  fire  and  how  it  used  to  smoke.  It 
was  the  case  of  a  chimney  that  would  not  draw.  Father  had 
another  built  as  soon  as  he  could  get  it  done  and  a  great  black 
log  was  rolled  on  every  morning.  Mother  did  the  cooking  a 
number  of  years  in  that  old  fire  place.  The  baking  was  done 
in  a  tin  set  up  in  front  of  the  fire  and  also  in  a  bake  kettle,  that 
was  a  kettle  set  on  hot  coals  with  a  cover  and  hot  coals  on  it. 
My  father  made  the  crane  and  pot  hooks.    With  what  pleasure 


236  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

I  remember  that  old  fire  place  and  now  imagine  I  can  see  every 
stone  in  the  hearth  we  all  used  to  sit  around. 

We  had  no  matches  in  those  days.  The  fire  must  be  covered 
at  bed  time  to  keep  and  if  it  burned  out  we  had  to  go  to  the 
nearest  neighbor's  to  borrow  some  coals.  That  was  fun  for 
us  children. 

The  door  of  the  house  was  hung  on  wooden  hinges  and  had 
a  wooden  latch  with  a  string  attached.  Father  replaced  them 
by  hand  forged  hinges  and  latch. 

At  that  time  there  were  no  trees,  road  or  any  improvements, 
nothing  but  the  wild  prairie  grass  and  flowers  of  every  kind 
and  waving  in  the  wind  like  the  ocean. 

In  the  next  two  years,  1834  and  1835  a  great  many  young 
men  came  from  the  East.  They  were  rail  splitters  and  found 
plenty  of  work  to  do  as  many  farms  were  taken  up  and  all  had 
to  be  crossed  so  corduroy  roads  must  be  built,  that  is,  logs  cut 
and  laid  together  over  the  swamps. 

All  our  supplies  came  from  Chicago,  even  if  it  was  no  more 
than  a  spool  of  thread  or  a  broom.  At  one  time'  we  were  six 
weeks  without  flour. 

Then  a  prairie  schooner  came  from  Kankakee  with  a  load 
and  it  was  worth  $16  a  barrel.  The  first  apples  were  brought 
in  the  same  way  from  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 

When  we  first  came  to  Illinois,  Indians  were  very  numerous. 
I  very  distinctly  remember  the  first  ones  that  came  to  the 
house.  It  happened  that  the  men  folks  were  away,  mother  and 
the  four  children  were  alone.  There  were  two  beds  in  the 
room  with  a  narrow  space  between  them.  Mother  put  the  chil- 
dren into  this  space,  then  took  her  arm  chair  and  sat  just  be- 
tween the  beds,  as  she  afterwards  expressed,  "she  would  go 
first/'  The  Indians  left  their  tomahawks  sticking  in  the  cor- 
ner of  the  house,  came  to  the  door,  looked  in  then  went  on. 
After  that  they  used  to  come  in  frequently.  They  were  always 
friendly  to  us  and  used  to  give  me  beads.    I  never  remember 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  237 

of  an  Indian  asking  for  anything  to  eat.  My  sister  gave  a 
squaw  a  biscuit  one  day  and  she  spun  it  on  the  floor  like  a  top. 
One  squaw  brought  in  her  papoose  tied  to  a  board  which  she 
carried  on  her  back.  I  felt  very  sorry  for  one,  she  came  to  the 
door  crying  and  sat  down  and  made  a  little  grave  in  the  dust 
to  make  us  understand  that  her  papoose  was  dead. 

In  a  few  years  a  school  house  was  built.  It  was  made  of 
logs  with  benches  made  of  split  logs  hewn  off,  some  holes  bored 
in  and  legs  driven  in  them.  Along  the  wall  was  a  very  rudely 
constructed  desk.  When  I  started  for  the  school  I  had  but  one 
book  and  that  was  an  elementary  spelling  book.  I  was  called 
out  on  the  floor  once  in  the  forenoon  and  once  in  the  afternoon 
to  read  and  spell.  I  spent  several  years  with  only  that  book. 
I  went  through  it  from  cover  to  cover,  abreviations  and  all.  In 
the  back  were  three  stories ;  The  Lawyer  and  Farmer,  The  Old 
Man  and  Rude  Boy  and  the  Country  Maid  and  Her  Milk  Pail. 

I  had  no  slate,  pencil  or  tablet,  just  the  spelling  book.  I 
often  think  how  different  it  is  now  with  such  interesting  books 
with  the  beautiful  illustrations,  how  happy  children  ought  to 
be.  When  I  was  about  ten  years  old  a  new  book  was  introduced 
into  the  school  called,  "The  National  Preceptor."  Oh,  how  I 
wished  to  have  one  of  those  books.  At  last  my  mother  made 
a  trip  to  Joliet  and  I  became  the  happy  possessor  of  the  long 
wished  for  book.  I  have  it  yet  as  one  of  my  most  precious 
treasures.  As  I  look  back  I  can  only  recall  one  of  my  old  school- 
mates, that  is  Mrs.  Frank  Collins  of  your  city. 

We  had  no  papers  or  magazines  in  those  days.  The  Bible, 
English  reader,  spelling  book,  and  almanac,  were  about  all  the 
books  we  had  to  read.  I  was  about  9  years  of  age  when  my 
father  had  in  his  employ  a  man  with  literary  turn  of  mind.  He 
heard  of  a  place  where  he  could  get  books  to  read.  Among 
those  he  got  were  Burn's  poems.  I  used  to  read  it  over  and 
over,  and  committed  many  of  the  poems  to  memory. 


238  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

My  people  brought  from  York  state,  peach  pits  and  apple 
seeds  which  they  planted  the  fall  they  came  and  in  three  years 
we  had  a  few  peaches  and  the  apple  trees  did  nicely. 

My  oldest  sister  was  thoughtful  enough  to  bring  flower 
seeds  and  soon  had  the  side  of  the  house  covered  with  morning 
glories. 

The  first  religious  services  were  held  in  private  houses.  I 
very  well  remember  the  first  minister  I  ever  saw.  It  must  have 
been  1834  or  35.  His  name  was  Asbur  Chenwith.  He  was  a 
Methodist  and  my  idea  was  that  he  was  a  being  to  be  afraid  of. 

I  have  a  very  vivid  recollection  of  the  riot  on  the  I.  &  M. 
canal.  One  morning  at  daybreak  a  man  came  to  the  door  and 
warned  every  able  bodied  man  to  appear  forthwith,  armed  and 
equipped  to  quell  a  riot.  My  father  immediately  put  his  flint- 
lock musket  in  order  and  went  to  the  scene  of  bloodshed  but 
all  was  quiet  when  he  arrived.  One  man  by  the  name  of  Lona- 
gon  was  killed.  He  was  chopping  some  pumps  to  pieces  or 
something  of  that  sort. 

In  those  early  days  there  were  few  amusements  for  the 
young  people  in  comparison  with  those  of  the  present  time. 

My  father  in  Pittsford,  N.  Y.,  was  a  member  of  the  choir 
in  the  Presbyterian  church  where  he  sang  and  played  bass 
viol  for  many  years. 

Every  Sunday  evening  the  music  book  was  brought  out  and 
we  all  sang  and  often  the  young  people  for  miles  around  would 
come  in. 

As  I  look  back  at  the  seventy-five  years  that  have  passed 
and  think  of  the  great  change  that  has  taken  place  in  the 
country,  it  seems  more  like  a  beautiful  panorama  than  reality 
and  it  is  a  wonderful  thing  to  have  seen  the  old  prairie  schooner 
and  an  automobile,  the  spinning  wheel  and  the  modern  sewing 
machine,  the  old  flail  to  thresh  the  grain  and  the  up-to-date 
threshing  machine. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  239 

Surely  truth  is  more  wonderful  than  fiction.  Signed — Mrs. 
J.  D.  Frazer,  (Sept.  17,  1906.) 

Jackson  Township. — Jackson  is  one  of  the  earliest  settled 
townships  in  the  county,  the  date  of  its  first  settlement  being 
almost  coincident  with  that  of  Chicago.  Chicago  was  laid  out 
August  4,  1830,  and  the  first  settlement  was  made  at  Reed's 
Grove  six  months  later.  This  grove  being  situated  at  the  cor- 
ners of  Jackson,  Channahon,  Wilmington  and  Florence  Town- 
ships, has  given  rise  to  no  little  misunderstanding  as  to  the 
location  of  some  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  vicinity;  and  we 
shall  not  be  surprised  if  some  of  our  statements  do  not  receive 
immediate  indorsement.  Several  parties,  or  colonies,  who  set- 
tled in  the  Grove,  though  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  since 
townships  lines  have  been  established  have  proved  to  be  in 
different  townships.  This  fact  also  makes  the  narration  of 
events  in  one  township,  without  at  the  same  time  bringing  in 
the  history  of  other  townships,  quite  difficult;  and  a  small 
amount  of  repetition  will  therefore  be  necessary. 

Reed's  Grove  received  its  earliest  white  settler  in  1831.  At 
that  time,  Indians  were  plenty  in  this  part  of  the  State,  and  the 
Grove  was  one  of  their  favorite  resorts  and  dwelling  places. 
The  territory  now  embraced  in  these  townships  was  occupied 
by  the  tribe  or  nation  called  Pottawatomies.  The  relations  be- 
tween these  people  and  their  early  white  neighbors  were  of  the 
most  friendly  character.  They  hunted,  visited  and  drank  to- 
gether, as  peaceably  as  the  more  modern  occupants  of  the 
county. 

To  Charles  Reed  belongs  the  credit  of  being  the  first  settler, 
not  only  of  Jackson  Township,  but  of  the  grove  which  still 
bears  his  name.  Reed  was  a  man  of  energy  and  spirit.  He 
had  a  family  of  grown  up  children,  some  of  whom  were  al- 
ready married;  and,  being  desirous  of  seeing  them  settled  in 
homes  of  their  own,  such  as  he  was  unable  to  provide  for  them 


240  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

in  the  older  settled  States — he  resolved  to  emigrate  to  this 
place. 

Accordingly,  he  with  his  two  sons-in-law,  Charles  Koons 
and  Eli  Shoemaker,  and  Joseph  Shoemaker  (brother  of  Eli), 
set  out  for  this  place  in  the  early  Spring  of  1831,  and  reached 
the  grove  March  2,  of  that  year.  At  that  time,  but  few  families 
had  settled  in  the  whole  section  now  embraced  in  Will  County. 
Dwellers  at  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles  were  considered 
neighbors.  Joseph  Shoemaker,  though  mentioned  here  as  a 
member  of  this  settlement  or  colony,  did  not  in  reality  settle 
in  Jackson  Township.  He  is  usually  accredited  as  the  first  set- 
tler of  Wilmington  Township;  but  this,  too,  seems  to  be  an 
error,  as  his  cabin  was  just  on  the  north  side  of  the  line  sub- 
sequently located  between  Wilmington  and  Channahon.  Reed, 
with  the  balance  of  his  family,  removed  from  the  township 
more  than  twenty-five  years  ago,  and  while  the  country  was 
yet  indeed  new.  George  Kirkpatrick  and  brother  and  James 
Hemphill  lacked  but  a  few  months  of  being  the  first.  They 
came  from  Ohio,  and  settled  here  in  May  following  the  advent 
of  Reed.  Of  these,  George  Kirkpatrick  still  resides  in  the  town- 
ship, but  the  other  two  are  dead.  James  Hemphill  died  in 
1863. 

During  the  Spring  of  the  next  year,  1832,  two  new  com- 
panies settled  in  the  township.  Wesley  Jenkins,  Thomas  Un- 
derwood— brother-in-law  of  Jenkins — and  Jefferson  Ragsdale 
were  from  North  Carolina.  Of  the  "Jenkins  Colony,"  as  it 
was  called,  none  are  left,  all  having  removed  to  other  parts. 

The  Linebarger  colony  arrived  here  from  Indiana  in  the 
spring  with  Jenkins.  The  company  consisted  of  Henry,  John, 
George  and  Lewis.  The  last  named,  however,  settled  in  the 
town  of  Florence,  a  short  distance  from  the  others.  They  were 
Carolininas,  and  had  left  there  years  before  and  had  resided 
for  a  time  in  Indiana,  near  the  Wabash.  Of  these,  Henry  Line- 
barger lived  here  but  four  years,  dying  here  in  1836.    George 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  241 

Linebarger  was  a  resident  of  the  village  of  Elwood.  He  was 
a  very  useful  citizen,  a  leader  in  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
one  of  its  most  pious  members. 

John  Linebarger  as  has  been  stated,  came  into  the  township 
in  the  spring  of  1832.  The  Indian  uprising  of  1832  and  1833, 
caused  unrest  and  John  Linebarger,  with  some  others,  returned 
to  Indiana  where  he  resided  until  1850.  In  that  year,  he  re- 
turned to  Illinois  and  Will  County  and  bought  a  farm  near 
Wilmington.  In  1868,  he  moved  to  Elwood  where  he  engaged 
in  the  grain  business  for  many  years.  In  the  later  years  of 
his  life  he  moved  to  a  farm  near  Bonfield  and  resided  there 
until  1886,  when  he  passed  away. 

Peter  Eib,  with  his  three  sons,  George,  Levi  and  Augustus, 
was  from  the  State  of  Virginia.  The  elder  Eib  was  very  fond 
of  his  gun,  and  an  excellent  marksman.  He  found  here  plenty 
of  game  on  which  to  practice  his  skill.  It  was  not  an  uncom- 
mon thing  to  see  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  deer  in  a  single 
drove.  Turkeys,  wolves  and  other  game  were  so  plenty  as  to 
make  them  almost  a  nuisance.  Mr.  Eib  passed  away  years  ago, 
but  his  sons  remained  amongst  the  best  citizens  of  the  com- 
munity. 

In  1832,  emigration  to  these  parts,  and  indeed  to  all  North- 
ern and  Western  Illinois,  received  a  very  severe  check.  Pre- 
viously, the  whites  and  red  men  had  been  on  the  best  of  terms; 
and  specially  in  this  region  there  seemed  to  be  no  jealousies 
existing  between  the  two  races.  Land  and  game  were  so 
plenty,  and  the  white  settlers  were  so  few,  that  the  Indians 
here  did  not  feel  as  though  their  rights  were  being  encroached 
upon.  And  then  again,  the  tribes  dwelling  in  this  part  of  the 
State  were  of  a  more  civilized  character  than  some  others.  In- 
deed, some  of  the  leaders  or  chiefs  were  so  much  so  that  when 
the  proposition  to  build  the  Michigan  &  Illinois  Canal  was  be- 
ing agitated,  they  were  not  only  willing  to  have  the  improve- 
ment made,  but  gave  it  all  the  encouragement  they  could;  and 

16— VOL.  1 


242  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

it  is  said  that  among  the  first  acts  of  Congress  relating  to  the 
project  there  is  a  clause  permitting  the  free  use  of  the  Canal 
forever  to  these  people.  However,  before  the  completion  of  the 
work,  the  stealthy  stroke  of  the  Indian's  paddle,  propelling  his 
canoe,  had  ceased.  The  causes  which  led  to  their  removal  were 
just  beginning  to  take  shape,  when  the  emigrants  whose  names 
have  been  given,  had  barely  completed  their  journey.  Black 
Hawk,  of  whom  mention  is  made  in  a  former  chapter,  his  fol- 
lowers and  allies  had  become  restless  and  jealous  of  the  white 
people,  who  were  in  that  part  of  the  country  steadily  encroach- 
ing on  both  the  real  and  fancied  rights  of  their  red  brethren. 
These  jealousies  eventually  broke  out  into  actual  conflict,  and 
the  State  and  national  military  were  called  out  to  quell  the 
deadly  trouble  that  seemed  to  be  rising.  Of  course,  great 
excitement  prevailed  everywhere,  and  in  sparsely-settled 
neighborhoods  like  this,  with  no  commensurate  means  of  resist- 
ance at  hand,  and  with  a  people  in  their  midst  who,  though 
professing  friendship,  were  yet  known  to  be  of  a  treacherous 
nature,  the  most  serious  apprehensions  were  entertained.  In 
this  state  of  fear  and  anxiety  the  inhabitants  of  this  vicinity 
were  living  when,  about  the  latter  part  of  May,  1832,  news  was 
brought  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  massacre  of  several  fami- 
lies and  the  capture  and  abduction  of  two  young  ladies  near 
Ottawa.  In  those  days,  this  was  considered  only  an  adjacent 
neighborhood,  and  very  naturally  the  alarm  created  in  this 
place  was  intense.  A  meeting  of  all  the  citizens  was  immedi- 
ately called,  and  it  was  quickly  resolved  that,  in  consideration 
of  their  utter  inability  to  repel  an  attack,  it  was  best  to  remove 
to  the  more  thickly  settled  country  on  the  Wabash,  whence 
many  of  them  had  formerly  emigrated.  Accordingly,  on  the 
following  night  at  10  o'clock,  there  were  found  nearly  twenty 
wagons  and  teams  gathered  at  Five-Mile  Grove  prepared  to 
start.  At  about  the  time  fixed  for  their  departure  they  were 
joined  by  some  parties  who  reported  the  Indians  approaching. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  243 

This  precipitated  their  flight,  and  great  confusion  prevailed. 
One  man  had  loaned  his  ox-yoke,  and  had  sent  for  it,  as  he 
could  not  harness  his  cattle  without  it;  but  when  the  announce- 
ment was  made  that  the  enemy  were  near,  he  snatched  a  rail 
from  the  fence,  and  with  a  half-dozen  strokes  of  the  ax  fash- 
ioned it  into  a  substitute,  which  in  a  moment  more  was  bound 
on  the  necks  of  his  oxen  with  wTithes  of  hickory,  as  quickly  cut 
from  the  brush,  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  start  for  the 
Wabash. 

It  had  been  intended  to  take  the  cattle  and  all  of  their  house- 
hold goods;  but  so  great  was  their  hurry  that  everything  of 
the  kind  was  left  behind.  The  gads  were  applied  to  the  hides 
of  the  oxen,  and  the  flight  was  as  rapid  as  possible.  Their  way 
lay  through  the  townships  of  Manhattan,  Wilton  and  Rock- 
ville,  crossing  the  Kankakee  at  one  of  its  fords.  After  travel- 
ing some  miles,  finding  that  they  were  not  pursued,  two  of 
the  men  determined  to  return  and  bring  forward  the  stock 
which  had  been  left  behind.  However,  when  they  came  to  the 
settlement  no  stock  could  be  found,  having  wandered  off  into 
the  woods.  One  of  the  men  then  bethought  him  of  a  bag  of 
maple  sugar  which  had  but  recently  been  manufactured  from 
the  sap  of  trees  which  grew  here.  Throwing  this  across  his 
horse,  he,  with  his  companion,  set  out  to  overtake  the  main 
party.  They  had  traveled  but  a  few  miles  when  they  perceived, 
at  a  distance,  two  real  Indians  rapidly  following  them.  They 
very  naturally  conjectured  that  these  were  only  scouts  of  a 
large  party  of  human  butchers  and  put  spurs  to  their  horses. 
On  looking  back,  they  found  that  the  Indians  were  pursuing 
them  rapidly.  The  bag  of  sugar  was  a  real  burden  and  difficult 
to  carry,  so  it  was  allowed  to  slip  to  the  ground.  Thus  relieved, 
horses  and  riders  dashed  forward  with  increased  rapidity.  In- 
dians are  notoriously  fond  of  sugar,  and  this  was  quite  a  prize, 
and,  as  they  stopped  to  examine,  taste  and  eat,  the  pursued 
parties  left  their  would-be  captors  far  behind    As  they  came 


244  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

up  with  their  friends,  they  were  just  crossing  the  Kankakee. 
As  soon  as  the  report  that  they  were  being  pursued  had  spread 
to  the  company,  confusion  was  worse  than  confounded,  and  the 
alarm  vented  itself  in  the  shrieks  of  the  women,  the  cries  of  the 
children  and  the  curses  of  the  men,  mingled  with  the  bellow- 
ing of  the  sharply  goaded  oxen.  One  team  seemed  to  partake 
of  the  excitement,  but  instead  of  rushing  for  the  other  side, 
stood  stock  still,  unable  to  move.  The  driver,  in  his  despera- 
tion, believing  the  wagon  mired,  hastily  unhitched  the  oxen 
from  the  load,  and  placing  his  wife,  who  was  the  other  occup- 
ant of  the  wagon,  on  one  ox,  he  bestrode  the  other,  and,  apply- 
ing the  lash  with  renewed  vigor,  they  gained  the  other  shore 
and  soon  overtook  the  train.  The  relation  of  such  incidents, 
at  this  date,  causes  no  little  merriment,  but  at  the  time  of  their 
occurrence  were  very  serious  indeed.  Even  those  who  were 
participants  tell  the  story  of  "Five-Mile  Massacre,"  and  laugh 
heartily;  though  it  is  said  that  the  hero  of  the  bag  of  sugar 
was  ever  afterward  quite  sensitive  on  that  point,  and,  al- 
though a  man  of  piety,  no  man  could  say  "sugar"  to  him  with- 
out runing  great  risk  of  being  knocked  down.  On  the  evening 
of  the  second  day,  having  found  that  the  last  incident  related 
was  only  a  scare  from  some  friendly  Pottawatomies,  the  party 
halted,  and  it  was  proposed  to  have  supper  and  a  night's  rest. 
But  here,  again,  were  enacted  the  scenes  of  the  crossing  of  the 
Kankakee.  Just  as  the  fires  had  begun  to  blaze,  preparatory  to 
cooking  the  much-needed  meal,  a  horseman  galloped  into  camp 
and  stopped  just  long  enough  to  say  that  the  Indians  were 
after  them  in  earnest.  Thus,  their  supper  and  sleep  were  dis- 
pensed with,,  and  not  until  three  nights  and  days  had  passed 
did  they  stop  long  enough  to  take  a  nap,  or  eat,  except  as  they 
fled.  After  several  days  more  of  travel,  during  which  they 
received  no  further  alarms  they  reached  Danville,  whence  they 
learned  troops  had  been  sent  to  take  care  of  the  savages,  and 
all  fear  and  anxiety  were  at  an  end.    Soon  after,  Black  Hawk 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  245 

and  his  people  were  removed  to  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi 
River;  and,  all  fear  of  molestation  having  passed,  most  of  the 
former  residents  of  this  neighborhood  returned.  They  found 
the  most  of  their  cattle  and  hogs,  and  their  crops  were  un- 
molested. The  cows,  however,  "had  gone  dry",  and  the  corn 
v/as  sadly  in  need  of  cultivation.  The  wagon  was  recovered 
from  the  bed  of  the  Kankakee,  and  even  the  greater  part  of 
the  bag  of  sugar  was  restored  by  the  hand  of  one  of  the  friend- 
ly red  men,  who  had  only  pursued  them  to  inform  them  that 
there  was  not  the  least  danger.  In  the  Fall  of  1832,  arrived 
Jacob  and  Joseph  Zumalt.  The  Zumalts  removed  to  California 
some  years  ago.    They  were  natives  of  Ohio. 

The  most  systematic  and  extensive,  and  at  the  same  time 
one  of  the  most  important,  settlements  of  this  part  of  the 
county  was  made  in  1834.  This  colony  consisted  of  R.  J.  Boy- 
Ian,  Peter  Brown  and  two  sons — John  and  Ara — and  Smith 
Johnson.  These  parties  were  from  New  Jersey,  and  came  well 
prepared,  and  with  a  full  understanding  of  the  enterprise  in 
in  which  they  were  embarking.  Most  pioneers  in  those 
days  "pulled  up  stakes,"  as  the  saying  was,  and  moved  with 
but  little  previous  knowledge  of  the  country  to  which  they  were 
going.  In  many  cases  they  were  guided  by  unreliable  reports, 
sometimes  seemingly  by  instinct  and  sometimes  entirely  by 
accident.  But  in  the  case  of  Boylan  and  his  company,  the 
greatest  care  was  taken.  Maps  were  consulted,  the  most  reli- 
able reports  were  procured  and  read,  and  all  of  the  informa- 
tion obtainable  was  procured  and  used.  R.  J.  Boylan,  a  pract- 
ical surveyor  and  a  man  of  excellent  judgment,  was  sent  for- 
ward to  select,  survey  and  locate  the  land.  He  came  to  this 
neighborhood,  and  having  located  twenty-one  eighties,  or  1,680 
acres,  notified  the  balance  of  the  colony,  who  came  on  at  once, 
and  occupied  the  land.  Hardly  a  finer  selection  could  be  made 
than  this,  consisting  of  land  on,  and  in  the  vicinity  of,  Jackson 
Creek.    Of  the  original  colonists,  Mr.  Boylan  was  the  last  to 


246  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

pass  away.  He  was  a  very  active  man,  having  been  identified 
with  almost  every  enterprise  of  any  consequence  in  this  section 
of  the  country.  His  house  is  the  only  stone  dwelling  in  the 
township,  and  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  fine  little  stream 
named  in  honor  of  the  "Hero  of  New  Orleans."  Though  the 
original  Browns  and  Johnson  have  passed  away,  they  have  left 
behind  numerous  descendants  and  kindred,  who  occupy  the  old 
and  original  selections,  as  made  in  1834. 

Henry  Watkins  and  sons,  Henry,  Jr.,  Benjamin  and  Peter, 
arrived  from  New  York  in  1834.  None  of  this  family  now 
reside  here,  all  having  moved  away.  About  the  last-named 
date,  a  schoolhouse  was  built  at  Reed's  Grove,  and  Henry  Wat- 
kins  was  employed  to  teach  the  first  school  therein. 

Edward  Kirk  was  also  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  this  part 
of  the  county.  He  had  come  to  the  county  a  year  or  two  pre- 
vious to  his  settling  in  Jackson  in  1835. 

As  early  as  1833,  an  organization  for  religious  purposes 
was  effected.  This  consisted  of  a  Methodist  class,  of  which 
William  Thornburg  was  appointed  First  Leader.-  This  little 
organization  was  what  has  since  developed  into  the  Elwood 
M.  E.  Church.  From  a  paper  prepared  and  read  before  the 
Elwood  Church,  by  Rev.  G.  J.  Kinne,  we  are  permitted  to  lay 
before  our  readers  a  complete  though  brief  history  of  this  old- 
est Church  in  the  township  and  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  county. 

Soon  after  the  establishing  of  the  class  alluded  to,  a  school- 
house  was  built  in  the  vicinity,  and  in  this  services  were  held 
for  a  number  of  years.  Among  the  old  pioneer  preachers  who 
visited  the  place  and  preached  to  the  people,  are  mentioned  the 
names  of  Jesse  Walker,  John  Sinclair,  S.  R.  Beggs,  S.  H.  Stock- 
ing. Under  their  preaching,  the  Church  prospered  and  grew 
in  numbers,  influence  and  wealth  until,  in  1852,  they  found 
themselves  able  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  The  site  selected 
was  nearly  a  mile  west  of  the  village  and  of  its  present  loca- 
tion.   The  cost  of  the  building  was  $1,800.   In  1866,  it  was  deter- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  247 

mined  to  remove  the  building  to  the  village.  It  was  thought 
that  the  location  at  the  Grove,  on  account  of  the  growing  vill- 
age at  so  short  a  distance,  was  not  the  most  suitable  site  for 
an  increasing  membership.  During  the  migration  of  the  house 
which  so  many  had  learned  to  love,  meetings  were  held  in  it 
daily. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Elwood  was  built  in  1859,  at  a  cost 
of  about  $2,000.  Rev.  Mr.  Renfrew  was  the  first  preacher. 
This  church  never  flourished.  It  was  soon  closed  and  the  mem- 
bership affiliated  with  other  denominations.  The  building  was 
remodeled  about  1912  and  made  into  quarters  for  the  Masonic 
Lodge  of  Elwood  which  is  a  flourishing  institution. 

In  1863,  the  Reformed  Lutherans  of  this  township  living  in 
the  vicinity  of  Jackson  Creek  organized  and  built  a  neat  little 
church  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Section  15,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,200.  Rev.  Rufus  Smith,  Edward  Loomis,  S.  Bosley,  Henry 
and  Christopher  Lichtenwater  and  Christopher  Faut  were 
amongst  the  leading  projectors  of  the  work.  Rev.  Smith  was 
the  first  preacher,  and  for  a  time  labored  in  this  corner  of  the 
Lord's  vineyard  with  good  acceptance ;  but,  by  and  by,  his  opin- 
ions in  regard  to  the  subject  of  religion  underwent  a  change, 
and  with  him  coincided  many  of  his  flock,  and  it  was  decided 
to  abandon  the  organization.  Accordingly,  about  five  years 
after  the  house  was  built,  the  congregation  assembled  and  a 
motion  was  made  and  carried  that  the  house  be  "deeded  to  the 
Lord,"  and  that  He  look  after  its  interest  in  the  future.  The 
instrument  was  drawn  up  in  due  form  and  regularly  signed, 
but  whether  delivered  or  recorded  we  are  not  permitted  to 
know.  Since  that  event,  the  house  has  been  occupied  irregul- 
arly by  different  denominations. 

At  this  time,  (1928)  it  is  known  as  the  Brown  Church,  a 
name  which  it  has  carried  for  the  last  forty  years.  It  is  in 
good  condition  and  serves  as  a  house  of  worship  at  frequent 
intervals.    Until  very  recently,  within  eight  years,  a  Sunday 


248  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

School  was  maintained  quite  regularly.  The  ladies  of  the  El- 
wood  Methodist  Church  have  looked  after  it,  the  people  of  the 
neighborhood  are  liberal  in  contributing,  and  everyone  has  a 
kindly  interest  in  the  Brown  Church.  Therefore,  it  appears 
that  the  congregation,  sixty  years  ago,  acted  better  than  they 
knew  when  they  "deeded  to  the  Lord".  Surely  He  has  looked 
after  its  interest  well. 

The  United  Brethren  held  religious  services  in  the  north-' 
eastern  part  of  the  township  for  over  twenty-five  years.  In 
1865,  they  erected,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Section  11,  at  a 
cost  of  $2,000.  The  building  was  a  neat  frame,  30  feet  in  width 
by  45  feet  in  length,  and  would  seat  one-hundred  and  fifty  to 
two  hundred  persons.  Rev.  Mr.  Marglist  was  the  Pastor,  and 
Isaac  Overholser  was  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School  in 
1878. 

The  church  of  the  United  Brethren,  erected  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  Section  11,  was  located  on  Providence  Ridge,  a 
name  still  known  to  the  older  people  of  that  vicinity.  Church 
services  had  been  discontinued  for  some  years  and  no  use  was 
made  of  it  excepting  for  funerals.  It  was  demolished  by  a 
cyclone  in  1914  and  has  not  been  rebuilt.  A  small  storehouse 
was  erected  to  house  the  tools  and  equipment  used  in  the  ceme- 
tery. 

On  the  northwest  corner  of  Section  24,  stands  the  German 
Methodist,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  the  Church  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  This  is  also  a  frame  building,  and  was 
erected  in  1865.  It  is  28x36  feet  in  size,  and  cost  $1,400.  It  was 
erected  at  the  instance  of  William  Poleman,  John  Gise,  Isaac 
Moyer,  William  Kriemier,  Jacob  Wible  and  other  prominent 
members  of  the  Association.  Rev.  Rieman  Snyder  was  the 
resident  pastor  and  M.  Moyer  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath 
school.  Preaching  and  other  religious  services  have  been  held 
here  for  over  twenty  years  by  this  denomination. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  249 

The  German  Methodist  Church,  or  the  Church  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,  flourished  for  many  years.  About  fifty 
years  ago,  dissension  arose  in  the  congregation  over  some 
question  of  theology  or  of  practice  in  worship,  and  they  divided 
into  groups.  The  group  which  withdrew,  built  a  church  across 
the  road,  thus  establishing  two  churches.  For  many  years  they 
were  known  as  the  "Twin  Churches".  In  1928,  the  original 
church  built  in  1865,  was  torn  down.  The  other  one  has  sur- 
vived but  shows  signs  of  decay,  which  indicate  a  weakening  of 
the  congregation.  The  originators  of  the  church  in  1865,  have 
passed  away  and  their  descendants  have  moved  to  other  places. 
Only  a  few  remain  in  the  immediate  neighborhood. 

The  year  1854  was  eventful  for  numerous  localities  between 
Joliet  and  Bloomington,  as  it  marks  the  completion  of  what 
was  then  called  the  Chicago  &  Mississippi  Railroad,  now  called 
the  Chicago  &  St.  Louis,  and  the  location  of  most  of  the  vill- 
ages and  towns  along  the  line.  Before  that  date,  a  town  in 
Jackson  Township  was  not  thought  of;  and,  had  it  been,  any 
other  portion  would  have  been  as  likely  to  be  fixed  upon  as  its 
present  site  at  Elwood.  As  soon  as  the  road  was  completed, 
steps  were  taken  to  establish  a  station  at  this  point,  and  this 
being  accomplished,  the  village  followed  as  a  consequence.  A 
convenient  trading  point  was  at  once  provided,  and  the  country 
and  its  products  demanded  tradesmen,  mechanics  and  profes- 
sional men. 

The  town  was  surveyed  and  platted  and  lots  offered  for  sale 
in  1854  and  1855,  by  Messrs.  Spencer,  Gardner  and  Myers, 
gentlemen  interested  in  the  road.  The  first  house  built  in  the 
town  was  erected  by  William  Turner,  formerly  of  New  York. 
In  this  building  he  displayed  the  first  stock  of  goods  ever  of- 
fered for  sale  in  the  township.  Turner  was  also  appointed 
Postmaster,  and  kept  the  office  in  his  store.  Joseph  Partee, 
who  had  also  been  living  in  the  neighborhood,  built  the  first 


250  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

dwelling,  and  James  Barrett  built  the  second.  George  Blair 
built  the  first  blacksmith-shop.  To  these  were  added  stores, 
shops  and  dwellings,  and  the  town  grew  quite  rapidly,  so  that, 
in  1869,  it  was  found  advisable  to  incorporate  the  same.  Only 
a  few  scraps  of  the  original  records  and  lists  escaped  the  fire 
of  1874,  so  that  no  complete  list  of  its  officers  or  narration  of 
its  public  acts  can  now  be  given.  It  is,  however,  remembered 
with  certainty  that  William  Muhlig  was  first  President,  and 
R.  Spafford,  John  Linebarger,  William  Eversoll  and  T.  A. 
Mapps  were  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  W.  F.  Keith 
was  first-  Police  Magistrate.  In  1873,  the  town  was  re-organ- 
ized under  the  general  law  of  the  State.  The  officers  were: 
John  H.  Bridge,  President;  John  Linebarger,  C.  D.  Wickes, 
Bateman  Lloyd,  John  Pinneo  and  J.  J.  Lichtenwalter,  Trustees; 
W.  H.  Kinne,  Clerk;  and  W.  W.  Gifford,  Treasurer. 

On  the  night  of  the  28th  of  May,  1874,  a  fire  swept  over  the 
business  part  of  the  town,  which,  for  destructiveness,  taking 
into  account  the  size  of  the  place,  exceeded  that  of  Chicago  of 
two  years  before.  The  fire  broke  out  in  the  store  of  William 
Nicholson,  which  stood  near  the  center  of  the  business  portion, 
and  in  a  few  hours  every  store  but  one  and  the  hotel  had  given 
way  before  the  fiery  element.  This  was  a  serious  blow  to  the 
little  town.  Prior  to  this,  it  had  been,  though  slowly,  yet  stead- 
ily increasing.  The  loss  of  property  was  estimated  at  $30,000, 
of  which  not  more  than  $1,000  was  insured.  Though  some  of 
the  burned  district  has  been  rebuilt  and  business  is  carried  on 
as  before,  some  of  the  proprietors  were  so  much  crippled  as 
not  to  be  able  to  start  again,  and  the  village  still  feels  the  loss 
sustained.    The  present  population  is  about  four  hundred. 

Jackson  Township  is  one  of  the  prosperous  townships  of 
the  county.  It  contains  some  of  the  best  farms  to  be  had  in 
the  county.  Some  timber  still  remains  along  Jackson  Creek 
but  all  of  this  is  used  as  pasture  land  so  that  there  is  no  under- 
brush to  provide  new  growth  when  the  old  trees  are  removed. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  251 

As  a  consequence  the  trees  are  bound  to  disappear  because 
when  one  is  cut  down  there  is  none  to  take  its  place. 

Elwood  which  originated  in  1854  when  the  Chicago  and  Al- 
ton Railroad  was  built  became  a  flourishing  village  and  con- 
tinued so  for  about  one-half  a  century.  The  development  of 
automobiles  and  the  building  of  good  roads  made  it  easy  to 
travel.  Farmers  naturally  journeyed  to  the  larger  cities  at 
Joliet,  Wilmington  and  even  some  as  far  as  Chicago.  This 
took  the  business  away  from  the  stores  in  Elwood.  Hardware 
stores  were  abandoned  entirely.  Blacksmiths  found  no  work 
and  closed  their  shops  to  follow  other  occupations  or  to  move 
elsewhere  for  their  regular  work.  The  general  stores  changed 
hands  at  short  intervals  for  a  period  of  about  fifteen  years.  In 
1918-19  the  nature  of  the  business  changed  somewhat  and  these 
stores  -became  places  where  refreshments  might  be  bought  and 
staple  groceries  could  be  procured.  At  this  time  (1928)  they 
seem  to  be  fairly  prosperous.  One  business  is  noticeable  here, 
that  is,  a  successful  bakery  has  been  started.  This  seems  to 
prosper  because  housewives  seem  to  dislike  to  do  their  own 
baking  and  because  tourists  buy  some  bakery  goods.  Thus  it 
is  that  times  change  conditions. 

The  concrete  road  passes  along  the  east  edge  of  the  village 
on  the  east  side  of  the  railroad  track.  This  has  made  it  possible 
to  operate  a  garage  and  service  oil  station,  all  of  which  do  a 
good  business. 

Elwood  always  maintained  good  schools  even  though  for 
some  years  the  school  building  was  practically  unfit  for  use.  A 
new  building  was  built  in  1916  with  three  rooms,  modern  at  that 
time.  These  rooms  are  somewhat  out-of-date  at  the  present 
but  are  still  sufficiently  good  to  make  a  good  school  possible. 
Two  rooms  are  maintained  for  the  grades  and  one  is  devoted 
to  a  two  year  high  school.  Miss  Fanny  Bruce  teaches  the  upper 
grades  and  Miss  Peterson  teaches  the  lower  grades;  W.  P. 
Flaherty  is  principal  and  teaches  the  high  school.    The  increase 


252  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

in  the  school  was  brought  about  by  the  consolidation  of  three 
districts,  two  in  Jackson  Township  and  one,  formerly  District 
15,  in  Channahon  Township,  are  consolidated  into  one  district. 
Pupils  from  the  rural  part  of  the  district  are  transported  in 
modern  school  buses.  This  change  to  a  consolidated  school  has 
proven  satisfactory  to  all  concerned. 

Two  churches  are  maintained  in  the  village,  one  Methodist 
and  the  other  a  Presbyterian.  The  Methodist  Church  building 
burned  about  twelve  years  ago  and  was  immediately  replaced 
by  a  new  building  which  includes  an  auditorium,  parsonage, 
and  community  hall.  This  church  is  prosperous.  The  Presby- 
terian Church  finds  some  trouble  in  maintaining  services  be- 
cause the  congregation  is  small. 

Elwood  undoubtedly  will  improve  and  grow  from  now  on 
because  many  people  live  in  Elwood  and  work  in  Joliet.  The 
concrete  road  over  which  a  good  bus  service  is  maintained 
makes  this  feasible  at  all  times  of  the  year. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


JOLIET  TOWNSHIP. 


DES  PLAINES  VALLEY— EARLY  SETTLERS — FIRST  WHITE  MAN— PIONEER  GRIST 
MILL— PRICE  OF  LAND— FIRST  OFFICERS— MERCHANTS— GRAIN  TRADE- 
STONE  QUARRYING — EARLY  BUSINESS  MEN— JOLIET  MOUND— BUILDING- 
SCHOOLS— PENITENTIARY 

The  early  history  of  the  Des  Plaines  Valley  has  been  given 
in  chapters  one,  two,  and  three;  the  aborignes  have  been  ac- 
counted for  at  some  length;  the  Red  Man  has  had  attention; 
these  accounts  are,  to  some  extent,  the  history  of  Joliet.  How- 
ever, we  are  interested  in  the  early  history  of  the  white  set- 
tlers. The  following  table  is  interesting  because  it  gives  dates 
pertaining  to  so  many  families  which  are  represented  in  Joliet 
now  (1928).  It  was  prepared  with  much  care  in  1877  and 
recorded  in  LeBaron's  History  of  Will  County.  It  is  reproduced 
here  from  that  work: 

Major  Robert  G.  Cook,  New  York,  1831 ;  John  B.  Cook  (his 
father),  New  York,  1831;  Philip  Scott,  New  York,  1831;  Rea- 
son Zarley,  Ohio,  1831;  Robert  Stevens,  Indiana,  1831;  David 
Maggard,  Indiana,  1831;  Benjamin  Maggard,  Indiana,  1831; 
Jesse  Cook,  Indiana,  1831;  Daniel  Robb,  1831;  William  Bills- 
land,  Indiana,  1831;  Aaron  Moore,  Ohio,  1832;  R.  E.  Barber, 
Vermont,  1832;  Col.  Sayre,  New  Jersey,  1832;  Seth  Scott,  New 
York,  1832;  Charles  Clement,  New  Hampshire,  1833;  Rev. 
George  West,  M.  E.  minister,  1833;  Rodney  House,  Connecticut, 
1833;  Charles  Reed,  Indiana,  1833;  William  Hadsell,  New  York, 
1833;  Dr.  A.  W.  Bowen,  New  York,  1834;  Elias  Haven,  New 


254  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

York,  1834;  Philo  A.  Haven,  New  York,  1834;  Orlando  H.  Ha- 
ven, New  York,  1834;  James  Haven,  New  York,  1834;  Dr.  Da- 
vid Reed,  New  York,  1834;  M.  H.  Demmond,  New  York,  1834; 
Wm.  B.  Hawley,  New  York,  1834;  Benj.  F.  Barker,  New  York, 
1834;  Benjamin  Richardson,  from  the  East,  1834;  James  Rock- 
well, Connecticut,  1834;  Abner  Cox,  Indiana,  1834;  I.  P.  King, 
Indiana,  1834;  Joseph  Zumalt,  Indiana,  1834;  Jacob  Zumalt,  In- 
diana, 1834;  Charles  Sayre,  New  Jersey,  1834;  James  McKes, 
Kentucky,  1834;  Daniel  Clement,  New  Hampshire,  1834;  Rich- 
ard Hobbs,  Indiana,  1834;  N.  H.  Clarke,  1834;  Thomas  H.  Black- 
burn, 1834;  0.  D.  Putnam,  1834;  Harlow  Webster,  1834;  Geo. 
H.  Woodruff,  New  York,  1834;  N.  H.  Cutter,  Massachusetts, 
1834;  Jay  Lyons,  1834;  Chas.  W.  Brandon,  New  York,  1834; 
James  C.  Troutman,  Ohio,  1834;  Edward  Perkins,  New  York, 
1834;  Fenner  Aldrich,  1835;  Hervey  Lowe,  New  York,  1835; 
F.  Collins,  Hoosier,  1835;  Oliver  W.  Stillman,  Massachusetts, 
1835;  Robert  Duncan,  Detroit,  1835;  Thomas  Culbertson,  Dela- 
ware, 1835;  Charles  W.  Hopkins,  New  Jersey,  1835;  S.  W. 
Bowen,  New  York,  1835;  Dr.  Zelotus  Haven,  New  York,  1835; 
Hugh  Henderson,  New  York,  1835;  Wm.  A.  Boardman,  New 
York,  1835;  Russell  Frary,  New  York,  1835;  Michael  Shoe- 
maker, New  York,  1835;  John  L.  Wilson,  New  Yori£,  1835; 
Richard  L.  Wilson,  New  York,  1835;  Charles  L.  Wilson,  New 
York,  1835;  Abijah  Cagwin,  New  York,  1835;  H.  N.  Marsh, 
New  York,  1835;  J.  Beaumont,  New  York,  1835;  George  Hig- 
ley,  Ohio,  1835;  Levi  Jenks,  New  York,  1835;  William  Walters, 
Indiana,  1835;  0.  F.  Rogers,  New  York,  1835;  Rev.  J.  H.  Pren- 
tiss, New  York,  1835;  George  Squire,  1835;  Wm.  A.  Chatfield, 
Indiana,  1835;  C.  C.  Pepper,  New  York,  1835;  Francis  Nichol- 
son, New  York,  1835;  W.  R.  Atwell,  New  York,  1835;  John  M. 
Wilson,  New  York,  1835;  Allen  Pratt,  Massachusetts,  1835;  Bar- 
ton Smith,  Indiana,  1835;  Jonathan  Barnett,  New  York,  1835; 
E.  M.  Daggett,  Indiana,  1835;  George  Howlitson,  Scotland, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  255 

1835;  Asa  Rowe,  1835;  Elias  Hyde,  New  York,  1835;  S.  B.  Hop- 
kins, New  Jersey,  1835. 

In  1836  we  may  notice  among  the  arrivals  in  the  new  settle- 
ment, George  Woodruff,  Joel  A.  Matteson,  R.  Doolittle,  Edmund 
Wilcox,  Uri  Osgood,  Thomas  R.  Hunter,  E.  C.  Fellows,  and 
Francis  L.  Cagwin,  from  New  York,  and  Otis  Hardy  and  H. 
Hartshorn,  from  Vermont;  Orange  Chauncey,  Albert  Shepard, 
James  Stout,  Thomas,  Edward  and  Bennett  Allen,  John  CuFry, 
J.  J.  Garland,  W.  J.  Heath,  J.  C.  Newkirk,  William  Blair,  Rufus 
Calton,  Stephen  H.  Palmer,  E.  E.  Bush,  Theodore  Woodruff,  H. 
K.  Stevens,  David  Richards,  G.  W.  Cassedy,  and  a  great  many 
others,  whose  native  states  we  have  not  learned. 

When  the  first  white  man  came  to  Joliet  Township  in  1831, 
there  were  plenty  of  Indians  in  the  present  limits  of  Will 
County,  and  though  of  the  friendly  Pottawatomies,  yet  the 
very  fact  that  they  were  surrounded  by  savages,  whose  ferocity, 
when  aroused,  is  scarcely  equaled  by  wild  beasts,  coupled  with 
the  fact  that  low  mutterings  were  now  and  then  borne  to  them 
on  the  gale,  of  the  threatening  troubles  with  the  Sacs,  then 
on  the  verge  of  taking  the  warpath,  all  conspired  to  divest  the 
wilderness  of  its  romance,  and  render  their  every-day  life,  to 
say  the  least,  unpleasant.  The  Pottawatomies,  though  friendly 
as  already  stated,  were  looked  upon  with  much  suspicion  at 
times,  and  required  a  good  deal  of  watching  to  prevent  their 
petty  thieving,  a  penchant  for  which  is  a  native  characteristic 
of  the  red  man.  While  the  Black  Hawk  war  was  raging  in 
1832,  the  few  settlers  who  remained  upon  their  claims  built  a 
fort  in  the  present  city  limits  of  Joliet,  which  they  called  "Fort 
Nonsense,"  but  as  it  is  graphically  described  in  the  general 
history,  we  pass  it  with  this  slight  allusion.  Nearly  half  a 
century  has  passed  since  Black  Hawk  led  his  painted  warriors 
over  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and  the  wilderness  where  a  few 
hardy  pioneers  braving  danger,  planted  a  feeble  settlement, 


256  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

has  "flourished  and  blossomed  like  the  rose."  The  Indians  have 
long  since  taken  up  their  line  of  march  toward  the  "land  of 
the  setting  sun";  their  council  fires  burn  away  in  the  "untrod- 
den West,"  and  the  little  settlement  on  the  Des  Planes  River, 
which  had  its  birth,  as  it  were,  in  the  midst  of  an  Indian  war, 
has  grown  into  a  prosperous  community,  with  a  prosperous 
city  in  its  midst.  The  half  dozen  families  that  settled  in  Joliet 
Township  in  1831,  have  increased  in  numbers,  and,  including 
city  and  township,  aggregate  several  thousand. 

In  all  new  communities,  one  of  the  first  things  thought  of  is 
a  mill.  This  branch  of  enterprise  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
people  of  Joliet  Township  at  a  very  early  period  of  its  settle- 
ment. When  we  look  around  us  at  the  magnificent  mills  of  to- 
day and  the  unbounded  facilities  for  procuring  our  supplies 
of  meal  and  flour,  it  seems  almost  impossible  to  realize  the  lim- 
ited means  of  obtaining  bread  by  the  pioneers  of  fifty  years 
ago.  What  would  we  think  at  the  present  day,  of  having  to 
go  to  Peoria  to  mill,  with  a  wagon  and  team,  and  a  rainy  sea- 
son coming  on,  of  being  detained  six  weeks?"  And  yet  there 
are  those  living  within  sound  of  the  church  bells  of  Joliet,  who 
remember  such  an  experience.  The  first  attempt  at  a  mill  in 
Joliet  Township  was  made  by  one  John  Norman,  in  1833-34. 
It  was  built  at  the  head  of  an  island  nearly  opposite  the  peni- 
tentiary and  was  rather  a  primitive  affair.  He  built  a  dam 
across  one  branch  of  the  river,  and  thus  turned  the  current  in 
the  other.  In  this  his  wheel  was  placed,  the  shaft  communi- 
cating with  the  machinery  of  the  mill.  It  was  a  small  log 
structure,  and  its  capacity  for  grinding  rather  limited,  as  we 
have  been  told  that  fifteen  bushels  of  grain  in  twenty-four 
hours  was  good  work  for  it.  The  next  mill  was  McKee's,  built 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  just  above  Jefferson  Street,  the 
frame  of  which  was  still  standing  in  1878  a  monument  to 
pioneer  enterprise.  Several  sawmills  were  built  in  the  town. 
A.  Cagwin  built  one  on  Hickory  Creek  in  which  was  sawed  the 


ST.    PRANCES    ACADEMY,    JOLIET,    ILL. 


WASHINGTON  STREET   SCHOOL,  JOLIET,   ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  257 

lumber  for  the  first  frame  house  in  Joliet.  Clement  &  Clark, 
and  the  Haven  Bros,  built  mills  in  the  early  times,  as  noticed 
in  the  general  history  of  the  county.  But  the  day  of  useful- 
ness of  these  original  mills  has  long  since  passed,  and  the  more 
modern  inventions  and  improvements  fill  their  place. 

There  are  (1878)  in  the  town  eighteen  comfortable  and  com- 
modious school  houses,  five  of  which  are  built  of  stone,  and 
the  others  are  substantial  frame  buildings.  The  first  bridge 
in  the  township  of  which  we  have  any  account  was  built  over 
the  Des  Planes  River  in  the  latter  part  of  1837.  At  that  time, 
two  substantial  wooden  bridges  were  built  about  where  the 
lower  and  middle  bridges  now  are.  They  were  both  washed 
away,  however,  in  the  next  spring,  which  was  a  season  of  un- 
precedented high  water,  and  many  a  day  passed  before  they 
were  rebuilt,  or  other  accommodations  provided  for  crossing 
the  river  than  a  "dug-out"  or  ferry  boat,  when  it  was  too  high 
to  ford.  But  at  the  present  day,  the  town  is  well  supplied  with 
excellent  bridges,  wherever  those  useful  and  convenient  inven- 
tions are  needed. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  this  section  of  the  country,  claims 
were  usually  made  by  "squatting"  wherever  the  newcomer 
found  land  or  a  situation  that  suited  him,  provided  there  was  no 
prior  claim.  Building  a  cabin  and  enclosing  and  cultivating  a 
patch  of  ground  established  a  preemption  right  to  their  claim 
— that  is,  a  right  to  purchase  it,  when  it  should  come  into  mar- 
ket, at  the  Government  price  of  $1.25  per  acre ;  and  at  the  land 
sales,  though  there  might  be  ever  so  many  speculators  present, 
they  dare  not  bid  against  a  settler,  unless  they  chose  to  risk 
rousing  their  vengeance.  They  (the  settlers)  had  organized 
a  regular  court  to  protect  and  settle  their  claims,  which  was 
a  kind  of  "higher  law,"  and  woe  unto  him  who  trespassed  upon 
the  rights  of  this  court  or  the  settlers.  A  compromise  was 
finally  effected  between  the  settlers  and  speculators  whereby, 
the  latter  paid  for  the  land  and  the  settlers  gave  them  half, 

17— VOL.  1 


258  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and  thus  securing  to  themselves  a  reasonable  amount  of  land 
for  nothing.  The  land  sale  of  1835  caused  a  great  rush  of 
immigration  to  this  section  and  a  rage  for  land  speculation,  and 
soon  all  the  most  valuable  and  available  lands  were  taken  up 
or  secured  by  the  speculators.  In  1850,  the  county  adopted 
township  organization,  and  this  further  added  to  the  con- 
venience of  laying  claims  and  locating  lands.  Upon  the  or- 
ganization of  townships,  this  one  received  the  name  of  Joliet 
— a  name  conspicuous  in  the  history  of  Illinois  as  that  of  one 
of  the  early  French  explorers,  Louis  Joliet.  The  first  super- 
visor of  Joliet  Township  was  Charles  Clement,  who  held  the 
position  for  three  years  successively.  The  present  township 
(1878)  officers  are  as  follows,  viz.:  Frederick  Rappell,  super- 
visor, and  John  Scheidt,  John  Lyon,  William  Gleason,  assistant 

supervisors; Kelly,  township  clerk;  W.  D.  Fay,  school 

treasurer;  J.  T.  Millspaugh,  police  magistrate;  R.  Doolittle,  Ed- 
mund Wilcox,  J.  P.  Murphy,  Patrick  Shanahan  and  William 
P.  Webber,  justices  of  the  peace. 

As  already  stated,  Charles  Reed  is  regarded  as  the  first 
permanent  settler  in  the  original  town  of  Joliet,  or  "Juliet." 
David  Maggard,  however,  settled  in  what  is  at  present  the  city 
of  Joliet,  some  three  years  before  Reed.  But  at  the  time  Mag- 
gard built  his  house,  which  was  nearly  opposite  the  rolling  mill, 
there  was  no  City  of  Joliet,  and  it  was  years  after  the  birth 
of  the  city  before  it  extended  its  limits  to  include  Maggard's 
original  cabin.  Charles  Reed,  the  pioneer  of  Joliet,  finally  went 
to  Winnebago  County,  where  he  died  in  1875.  Charles  Clement 
settled  permanently  in  the  spring  of  1834.  He  commenced  mer- 
chandizing after  he  had  been  here  some  time,  a  business  he 
continued  for  many  years.  In  1839,  he  with  others  started  the 
first  newspaper  in  Joliet,  which  is  more  particularly  referred 
to  in  the  history  of  the  city  press. 

The  first  merchant  in  Joliet  was  a  man  named  Cox,  who 
commenced  the  mercantile  business,  in  a  very  limited  way, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  259 

about  1833-34.  It  was  for  this  man  Cox  that  H.  A.  Cagwin 
clerked  when  he  first  came  to  the  place.  Further  than  this,  we 
know  little  of  this  first  store  and  first  merchant.  The  next 
store  was  opened  by  M.  H.  Dernmond,  who  used  one  room  of 
his  residence  for  a  storehouse,  as  soon  as  it  was  finished.  In 
the  meantime,  while  waiting  for  the  completion  of  his  house, 
his  goods  were  stored  in  Chicago,  in  the  first  warehouse  ever 
built  in  that  city.  In  January,  1835,  Dernmond  bought  Mc- 
Kee's  claim,  except  his  mill  property,  and  laid  it  off  into  town 
lots — McKee  having  previously  divided  it  into  acre  lots  only — 
the  plat  being  recorded  in  June,  1830.  Soon  after  laying  out 
the  West  Side,  Clement  built  a  saw-mill,  and  under  the  firm 
name  of  Clement  &  Clark,  a  brisk  lumber  trade  was  at  once 
inaugurated.  This  year,  Dernmond  set  the  example,  since  so 
extensively  followed  in  Joliet,  by  putting  up  the  first  stone 
building.  It  is  the  block  of  business  houses  on  the  West  Side, 
opposite  the  National  Hotel,  and  upon  its  completion  was  ap- 
propriately celebrated  by  a  ball,  at  which  all  the  young  people 
for  miles  around  congregated. 

The  grain  trade,  which  is  one  of  the  most  important 
branches  of  business  in  Joliet,  was  begun  in  an  early  day.  John 
M.  Wilson  and  Charles  Clement  were  the  first  grain  merchants 
of  the  place,  and  used  an  old  barn  on  Block  16  for  storage  pur- 
poses. Their  net  profits  for  the  first  year,  and  the  only  one,  in 
which  they  handled  grain,  are  said  to  have  amounted  to  the 
immense  sum  of  nine  dollars.  They  made  a  corner  in  the  mar- 
ket and  retired  from  the  business  at  the  end  of  the  first  year. 
But  without  attempting  to  follow  the  grain  trade  through  all 
its  stages,  from  Wilson  &  Clement's  "corner"  to  the  vast  pro- 
portions it  has  since  assumed,  we  will  endeavor  to  give  some- 
thing of  its  present  status  (1878.)  There  are  now  five  able  firms 
engaged  in  grain,  viz. :  Carpenter  &  Marsh,  A.  Cagwin  &  Co., 
E.  R.  Knowlton,  H.  C.  Teed,  Wheeler  &  Co.  and  J.  E.  Bush. 
Carpenter  &  Marsh  are  the  heaviest  dealers.    As  an  illustra- 


260  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tion,  we  give  their  shipments  for  one  week,  taken  from  a  news- 
paper publication  of  1874: 

Monday 48  carloads 

Tuesday 44  carloads 

Wednesday 21  carloads 

Thursday 33  carloads 

Friday  30  carloads 

Saturday 42  carloads 

Total  for  the  week 218  carloads 

They  handle  annually  not  far  short  of  three  and  a  half  mil- 
lion bushels  of  grain,  and  all  of  which  is  shipped  direct  to 
Eastern  markets.  Their  elevator  capacity  is  about  thirty  thou- 
sand bushels,  and  twelve  to  fifteen  men  are  employed  in  loading 
and  unloading  grain.  Last  year,  this  firm  alone  handled  3,750,- 
000  bushels  of  grain,  most  of  which  was  corn  and  oats,  but  a 
little  wheat  and  barley.  A.  Cagwin  &  Co.  handle  annually 
about  five  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  corn  and  oats,  most  of 
which  is  shipped  direct  to  the  East.  The  elevator  used  by  this 
firm  was  built  by  Carpenter  &  Marsh,  and  will  store  from  fif- 
teen thousand  to  twenty  thousand  bushels  of  grain.  It  is  owned 
by  M.  O.  Cagwin.  H.  C.  Teed,  Wheeler  &  Co.,  handle  about 
five  hundred  thousand  bushels  annually,  and  have  storage  room 
for  about  thirty  thousand  bushels  in  Michigan  Central  Ele- 
vator. They  also  handle  pressed  hay,  mill  feed  and  wool,  which, 
together  with  grain,  they  ship  East,  viz. :  to  Canada,  New  Eng- 
land and  Pennsylvania.  E.  R.  Knowlton  handles  about  three 
hundred  thousand  bushels  of  corn  and  oats,  which  are  shipped 
East.  He  has  two  elevators,  one  of  which  was  built  by  Cagwin, 
in  an  early  stage  of  the  grain  business,  and  will  store  about 
eighteen  thousand  bushels  of  shelled  corn,  and  the  other  about 
twelve  thousand  bushels  of  oats.  His  cribbing  capacity  is  about 
five  thousand  bushels  of  ear-corn.    J.  E.  Bush,  whose  ware- 


V 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  261 

house  and  elevator  stand  near  the  Jefferson  Street  bridge,  han- 
dles about  six  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  corn  and  oats 
annually,  and  ships  both  to  the  East  and  to  Chicago  —  to 
the  latter  place  by  canal.  He  has  storage  room  for  about  forty 
thousand  bushels.  As  will  be  seen,  most  of  the  grain  handled 
in  Joliet  is  shipped  direct  to  Eastern  markets.  This  is  done 
by  the  "Cut-off"  division  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  a 
very  important  road  for  the  business  of  Joliet,  as  it  avoids  the 
delay  and  expense  of  shipping  by  Chicago.  Much  of  the  grain 
and  stock  going  east  over  the  Chicago  &  Rock  Island  and  Chi- 
cago &  Alton  Railroads  are  here  transferred  to  the  "Cut-off" 
Railroad,  and  do  not  go  to  Chicago  at  all,  which,  added  to  that 
bought  at  this  point,  makes  Joliet  quite  a  center  of  trade. 

Next  to  the  grain  interest,  and  perhaps  even  surpassing  it 
in  importance  and  as  a  source  of  actual  wealth  to  the  city,  was 
stone  quarrying.  Joliet  stone  is  known  throughout  the  state, 
and  to  a  considerable  extent  in  many  other  states.  From  the 
inexhaustible  supply  of  the  finest  building  and  flag  stone,  the 
large  number  of  stone  buildings  and  most  excellent  sidewalks, 
the  city  has  justly  received  the  pseudonym  of  the  "Stone  City." 
The  neighborhood  of  Joliet  is  as  prolific  of  stone  as  some  neigh- 
boring sections  of  coal.  Indeed,  from  a  ramble  among  the 
quarries,  we  should  judge  the  supply  to  be  sufficient  almost 
to  build  a  "Chinese  Wall"  around  the  entire  state.  So  far,  it 
has  been  impossible  to  form  any  accurate  idea  of  the  extent  or 
quantity  of  stone  in  this  vicinity,  as  the  number  of  quarries  in 
successful  operation  required  no  labor  to  open  them  other  than 
the  scraping  off  of  the  trash  from  the  surface,  and  no  cause 
exists  for  going  to  any  depth  for  superior  qualities  of  the  "raw 
material."  As  pertinent  to  the  subject,  we  quote  from  the 
Geological  Survey  of  Illinois:  "Only  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet  of  beds  furnishing  'dimension  stone'  are  now  quarried,  as 
the  bottom  of  this  brings  the  quarryman  down  to  the  water- 
level,  and  the  supply  has  thus  far  been  so  abundant  as  to  make 


262  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

deeper  explorations  unnecessary.  *  *  *  The  stone  itself  is 
a  very  compact,  fine-grained,  clinking,  magnesian  limestone, 
but  thin  seams  of  greenish  clay  run  irregularly  through  the 
whole  mass,  which,  upon  long  exposure  in  situations  alternately 
wet  and  dry,  must  ultimately  cause  the  most  solid  layers  to 
split  up.  The  separation  in  the  quarry  into  'ledges/  often  twen- 
ty-four, thirty  and  forty  inches  in  thickness,  simply  results 
from  the  presence  of  somewhat  thicker  partings  of  this  same 
greenish,  shaly  clay.  These  beds  were  formerly  described  as 
composed  of  light  buff  stone,  while  the  deeper  portions  of  the 
quarries  now  furnish  'blue  stone'.  The  difference  results  from 
the  difference  in  amount  of  oxidation  of  the  small  portion  of 
iron  disseminated  through  the  whole  mass,  the  change  having 
resulted  from  atmospheric  influence.  The  same  change  must 
ultimately  take  place  in  all  the  'blue  stone'  which  is  brought  to 
the  surface." 

Who  was  first  to  engage  in  quarrying,  as  a  regular  business, 
we  have  been  unable  to  ascertain,  but  are  of  the  opinion  that 
as  the  city  grew,  and  developed,  enterprising  individuals  grad- 
ually and  mechanically,  as  it  were,  drifted  into  it  to  supply 
the  increasing  demand  for  building  stone.  M.  H.  Demmond, 
who  is  mentioned  on  another  page  as  having  built  the  first 
stone  house  in  1835,  must  have  been  the  first  quarryman,  though 
it  does  not  appear  that  he  extended  the  business  beyond  his 
own  immediate  wants.  From  that  insignificant  beginning  the 
stone  business  has  continued  to  increase  until  it  had  reached 
vast  proportions,  and  the  quarries  in  and  around  Joliet,  in  ordi- 
nary times,  gave  employment  to  more  than  five  hundred  men. 
One  of  the  large  quarries  here  in  operation  was  that  of  W.  A. 
Steel,  who  employed  a  large  number  of  men,  and  shipped  im- 
mense quantities  of  stone  to  every  part  of  the  country,  and 
commanded  a  large  trade  throughout  this  state,  having  shipped 
some  sixty  thousand  carloads  to  the  Government  works  at  Rock 


\ 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  263 

Island  alone.  The  custom  houses  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and 
Madison,  Wisconsin,  and  the  capitol  of  Michigan  were  built 
principally  from  his  quarries.  But  our  space  forbids  a  more 
extended  notice  of  Mr.  Steel's  well-known  quarries.  Bruce  & 
Co.  had  one  of  the  oldest  quarries  in  the  vicinity  and  employed 
a  large  number  of  men.  From  having  been  long  in  the  business, 
they  commanded  a  large  trade  and  shipped  extensively  to  other 
sections  of  the  country.  The  Joliet  Stone  Company's  quarries 
were  among  the  largest  and  best  in  operation.  The  company 
was  organized  in  1877,  under  the  state  law,  with  G.  H.  Munroe, 
president;  G.  M.  Campbell,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  D.  C. 
Hays,  superintendent.  They  employed  from  twenty-five  to  one 
hundred  men  and  had  the  most  complete  steam  machinery  for 
sawing  and  rubbing  stone  in  use.  The  company  purchased  and 
opened  a  quarry  in  Alabama,  which  they  worked  extensively. 
The  Werners  were  largely  engaged  in  the  stone  business. 
Charles,  William  and  Adam  Werner  operated  separate  quar- 
ries, of  which  Charles,  perhaps,  did  the  largest  business.  Wil- 
liam Davidson  &  Bro.  opened  their  quarries  in  1845,  and  shipped 
largely  to  different  parts  of  the  country.  Their  quarries  were 
on  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  and  the  canal,  thus  affording  them 
excellent  facilities  for  shipping.  Bannon  and  Kronmeyer  both 
owned  and  operated  large  quarries,  the  former  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river  and  the  latter  on  the  canal,  just  south  of  the 
prison,  and  had  a  large  trade  both  at  home  and  abroad.  There 
were  other  quarries  around  the  city,  perhaps,  some  of  which 
we  believe  were  doing  but  little  business  while  others  were 
standing  wholly  idle.  In  this  brief  glance  at  the  stone  interests 
of  Joliet,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  business  was  one  of  immense 
volume  and  value.  Concluding  our  brief  sketch,  we  would  note 
the  fact  that  the  United  States  Government  had  subjected  this 
stone  to  new  and  critical  tests,  as  compared  with  the  stone 
from  all  the  important  quarries  in  the  country,  and  both  the 


264  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

War  and  Treasury  Departments  for  years  recognized  its  su- 
periority and  drawn  on  Joliet  for  immense  quantities  of  it  for 
the  erection  of  public  buildings  throughout  the  country. 

But  all  this  stone  business  passed,  and  1928  finds  but  little 
rubble  stone  quarried.  The  coming  of  concrete  for  buildings 
ar.d  bridges,  and  roads,  created  a  demand  for  crushed  stone. 
Today  one  finds  mountains  of  crushed  stone  of  several  sizes. 
Trainloads  leave  Joliet  each  day  for  Chicago  and  other  cities. 

The  following  "Joliet  City  Directory"  published  in  1858,  is 
interesting.  It  shows  many  changes  and  shows  how  some  fam- 
ilies and  some  institutions  and  perpetuated : 

Banks:  Merchants  and  Drovers',  Will  County,  Osgood's 
Exchange  Office,  Hatton  &  Co.'s  Exchange  Office. 

Lawyers:  Bowen,  S.  W.,  Fellows,  E.  C,  Goodspeed  &  Bar- 
tleson,  Hilderbrant,  T.  Q.,  Osgood,  Uri,  Parks  &  Elwood,  Ran- 
dal &  Snapp,  Roberts,  J.  Ma,  Street,  J.  E.  R.  E.  Barber  will 
furnish  abstracts  of  titles  from  Will  County  records. 

Physicians:  Bailey,  F.  K.,  Brownson,  M.  K,  Danforth,  W., 
Harwood,  E.,  McArthur,  A.  L.,  McCann,  J.,  Meade,  A.  B.,  Reece, 
J.  H.,  Simonton,  W.  B. 

Druggists:  Brown,  J.  EL,  Bray,  E.  M.,  Gankhoffer,  Jos., 
McCann,  J.,  Simonton,  W.  B.,  Woodruff,  G.  H. 

Ironmongers:    Mills,  J.,  Strong  &  Co. 

Land  Agents:  Bowen,  S.  W.,  Parks  &  Elwood,  Reese,  J.  R., 
White  &  Lowe. 

Lumber  Merchants:  Elliott  &  Co.,  Fish  &  Adams,  Hardy, 
Otis,  Hollister  &  Co.,  Wheeler  &  Co. 

Joliet  Stone  Works:  Anderson,  Spencer  &  Co.,  Hart,  P., 
Hauser,  S.,  Kelly,  J.,  Walworth  &  Co.,  Wilson  &  Cunningham, 
Schwalm,  F.,  Taylor  &  Co. 

Marble  Works:    Munger,  C.  E.,  Ward,  G.  H. 

Iron  Founders  and  Plow  Factors:    Jones  &  Cagwin. 

Newspapers:    True  Democrat,  Joliet  Signal. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  265 

Sash  and  Door  Factors  and  Steam  Plaining  Mills:  Hunt  & 
Ward. 

Shingle  Factor:    King,  M.  J. 

Dry  Goods  Merchants:  Curry,  J.,  Duncan,  R.  C,  Dutton, 
0.  B.,  Reichert,  J.,  Swain  &  Hebbard,  Worrell  Brothers. 

Merchant  Grocers:  Belz,  J.,  Godard,  H.  B.,  McEvoy,  M., 
Nicholson,  F.,  Potter  &  Co.,  Simonds  &  Scarrett,  Stone,  S.  W., 
Sleeper,  D.  C,  Whittemore,  A.  F. 

Booksellers:    Bray,  E.  M.,  Fox,  0.,  Savage,  E. 

Hotels:    Bissell's,  Central,  Exchange,  National,  Joliet. 

Cabinet  Makers:  Blackwell  &  Kimball,  Daley,  E.,  Hecht, 
C,  Walker,  J.  H. 

Warehousemen:  Cagwin  &  Higginbottom,  Dow,  A., 
Wheeler  &  Co. 

Flour  Merchants:    Howke,  Hyde  &  Co.,  Grinton,  W. 

Watchmakers  and  Jewelers :  Kinney,  T.,  Verley,  J.  D.,  Put- 
ney, D.  F. 

Boot  and  Shoe  Merchants:  Fuller,  N.,  Mack,  F.,  Shaw 
Brothers. 

Merchant  Tailors:  Quinn,  J.  H.,  Stephens,  S.,  Williams,  J. 
C,  Webber,  J. 

Clothiers:  Loner,  C,  Einstein,  M.,  Mack,  Brothers  &  Co., 
Kaufman,  F.,  Metzgar,  Is. 

Milliners:  Bray,  Miss,  Kavanagh,  Mrs.,  Stevens,  Mrs.,  Si- 
monds, Miss. 

Dentists:    Carpenter,  E.  R.  E.,  Thompson  &  Allen. 

Painters:  Adle  &  White,  Beaumont,  J.,  Dorr  &  Schott, 
Wright  &  Cook. 

Carriage  and  Wagon  Makers:  House,  R.,  Hyde,  E.,  Lamp- 
ing. 

Hatter:    Keeler,  R.  R. 

Harness  Makers:  Mendsen,  Jas.  Ruger  &  Kaffer,  Schra- 
der,  H. 


266  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Wholesale  Liquor  Dealers:    Devanny  &  Kelly,  Droesler,  V. 

Daguerreian:  Balch,  H.,  Compton,  Mrs. 

Fort  Nonsense  was  built  upon  the  hill  now  occupied  by  St. 
Peter's  Lutheran  Church.  The  hill  was  a  round  knob  difficult 
of  ascent  in  those  days.  The  bluff  at  the  right  was  broken  and 
abrupt,  and  a  silvery  cascade  during  some  seasons  of  the  year, 
with  a  cedar-lined  dell,  formed  a  picturesque  background.  The 
fort  was  of  the  stockade  order,  with  a  blockhouse  at  the  north- 
east corner,  projecting  beyond  the  stockade,  with  portholes  for 
downward,  as  well  as  "straight-out"  shooting.  This  was  built 
by  a  part  of  the  regiment  which  was  sent  to  the  relief  of  the 
settlers  of  Danville,  through  the  efforts  of  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard, 
who  was  there  at  the  time.  In  this  old  fort  the  Zarley  family, 
including  "our  Cal,"  found  a  refuge  for  some  weeks.  The  stock- 
ade and  blockhouse  were  still  standing  when  the  writer  came 
to  Juliet  in  1834,  but  was  torn  down  soon  after,  and  we  presume 
its  logs  were  appropriated  to  the  profane  use  of  boiling  some- 
body's dinner.  The  old  blockhouse,  however,  served  during  one 
summer  (1834)  for  the  first  school  taught  here  by  Miss  Persis 
Cleveland,  of  which  more  will  be  said  when  we  come  to  schools. 

The  Historical  Joliet  Mound. — Mrs.  John  Frazer,  624  Ham- 
ilton Street,  Lockport,  formerly  of  Hawley's  Hill,  now  known 
as  Mount  Hawley  in  Homer  Township,  contributed  the  follow- 
ing account  of  Joliet  Mound.  This  account  was  published  in  the 
Joliet  News  in  1913. 

"One  of  the  time-honored  land-marks  in  this  vicinity  is 
the  Joliet  Mound.  The  pioneers  knew  it  as  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  picturesque  bits  of  scenery  in  this  section  of  the 
country.  Even  as  far  back  as  1877,  it  had  not  yet  been  robbed 
of  its  beauty  in  forest  and  native  shrubs  and  flowers.  One  of 
the  News  fraternity  was  superintendent  of  a  little  Sunday 
school  at  the  east  of  this  Mound.    At  that  time  Jacob  Stryker 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  267 

was  the  moving  spirit  in  the  original  Mound  corporation  that 
manufactured  tile  of  various  kinds.  A  very  well  written  article 
is  herewith  published  regarding  the  business  history  of  the 
plant.  Next  Monday,  what  there  is  left  of  the  machinery  and 
utilities  will  be  sold  at  public  auction  by  Fred  R.  Stryker.  There 
will  be  many  regrets  in  losing  the  Stryker  family  in  this  vicin- 
ity, as  they  have  been  active  in  every  good  word  and  work. 
Here  is  the  article  above  referred  to: 

The  site  knowTn  for  these  many  years  as  the  "Mound,"  was, 
in  its  original  state,  a  very  beautiful  spot,  it  being  an  eleva- 
tion averaging  about  80  feet  in  height,  and  about  twenty-four 
acres  in  extent.  Large  trees  bordered  its  sides,  and  its  grassy 
expanse  with  trees  at  picturesque  intervals,  made  a  natural 
park  commanding  a  charming  view  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. 

But  being  a  "thing  of  beauty"  did  not  insure  its  being  a 
"joy  forever,"  unless  one  counts  as  joy  the  financial  gain  reaped 
from  its  destruction. 

The  uppermost  stratum  of  this  glacial  deposit  was  about 
60  feet  in  depth,  and  consisted  of  coarse  gravel.  A  great  part 
of  this  gravel  was  removed  and  shipped  in  boats  on  the  I.  & 
M.  canal  to  Chicago,  where  it  was  used  to  build  streets. 

This  first  stratum  was  underlaid  with  potter's  clay  to  a 
depth  averaging  12  feet.  Underneath  this  were  large  boulders, 
hard-pan  and  sand  deposit. 

In  the  year  1858  the  ground  was  broken  by  the  three  circuit 
judges  of  Cook  county,  J.  M.  Wilson,  Grant  Goodrich  and  W. 
W.  Farewell.  These  men  were  the  organizers  and  first  officers 
of  the  Joliet  Mound  Co.  It  was  not  incorporated  until  1862.  It 
was  the  first  factory  of  its  kind  west  of  Ohio,  and  one  of  the 
first  in  the  country. 

For  over  20  years,  from  the  time  of  its  organization,  the 
products  manufactured  were  fire-brick,  bath  brick  and  sewer, 


268  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

pipe.  The  material  for  the  same  was  shipped  on  the  I.  &  M. 
canal  in  boats  from  La  Salle  county.  The  shipping  facilities 
were  excellent  at  that  time,  due  to  the  proximity  of  the  canal 
and  the  private  slip  and  wharf  constructed  by  the  company. 
In  later  years  the  shipping  facilities  were  made  still  better 
by  the  C.  R.  I.  &  P.  railroad  running  through  the  property  for 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile.  At  a  still  later  date  a  street 
railway  was  constructed  north  of  the  property,  and  an  electric 
railway  on  the  south. 

Later  a  change  took  place  in  the  officers  of  the  corporation. 
Due  to  the  panic  of  1873,  the  organizers  were  financially  em- 
barrassed, and  the  property  went  through  a  long  litigation  and 
was  re-organized  in  1880  by  the  present  stockholders  who  were 
their  creditors. 

The  factory  was  re-built  and  transformed  into  an  exclusive 
drain  tile  factory.  This  change  necessitated  the  re-modeling 
and  re-building  of  the  works.  This  was  done  under  the  super- 
vision of  F.  R.  Stryker,  who,  since  that  date,  has  been  general 
manager  of  the  works,  and  is  now  closing  out- the  business. 
The  company  was  compelled  to  stop  manufacturing  tile  for 
want  of  material. 

During  the  32  years  there  was  produced  over  one  hundred 
million  feet  of  drain  tile  ranging  in  size  from  3  to  18  inches  in 
diameter.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  know  that  the  patterns  for 
the  first  power  tile  machine  manufactured  were  built  and  pat- 
ented in  the  shop  of  the  Joliet  Mound  Co. 

During  a  period  of  35  years  there  were  a  number  of  the 
workmen  who  labored  continuously  in  the  works  from  10  to  30 
years,  and  during  this  time  all  the  horses  which  became  dis- 
abled or  aged  were  kept  on  the  premises  while  able  to  enjoy 
life,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  were  shot.  The  manager  never 
allowed  an  animal  that  did  good  service  to  go  into  the  market. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  269 

The  Mound  elevation  is  now  all  gone  and  the  ground  leveled 
and  prepared  for  sub-divisions.  The  old  landmark  will  soon  be 
a  thing  of  the  past. 

The  following  tradition  is  from  Historical  Edition  of  Joliet 
News  published  in  1884: 

There  is  an  interesting  tradition  of  this  period  which  re- 
lates to  Mound  Joliet.  The  great  Indian  Chief  Pontiac,  of 
Michigan,  could  not  be  reconciled  to  this  transfer  to  the  Eng- 
lish whom  he  cordially  hated.  He  continued  to  contest  their 
claims  to  possession,  and  beseiged  Detroit  for  six  months,  but 
was  finally  worsted.  After  a  treaty  had  been  concluded  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  Western  tribes  in  1764,  disgusted 
with  the  outcome  he  left  the  region  where  he  had  been  for  so 
many  years  a  great  leader  and  warrior,  and  with  the  remnant 
of  his  Ottawa  warriors  (about  200)  with  their  families,  retired 
farther  West.  According  to  a  tradition,  which  we  are  dis- 
posed to  accept  as  true,  he  settled  on  the  banks  of  the  beautiful 
Kankakee  near  the  present  city  of  Wilmington.  The  same 
tradition  gives  us  an  account  of  his  death,  altogether  different 
from  the  one  found  in  most  early  histories  of  the  time.  He 
had  merged  the  remnant  of  his  tribe  into  that  of  the  Potta- 
wattamies,  who  disputed  with  the  Illinois  the  possession  of 
Northern  Illinois.  In  1769  a  council  of  the  two  nations  was 
called  at  Mound  Joliet  to  settle  these  claims.  During  a  speech 
which  Pontiac  was  making  in  behalf  of  the  tribe  with  which 
he  had  identified  his  fortunes,  he  was  assassinated  in  the  most 
cowardly  manner  by  Kineboo,  head  Chief  of  the  Illinois.  This 
act  of  treachery  not  only  broke  up  the  council,  but  led  to  a  long 
and  bloody  war  which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  the  great 
Illinois  village  "La  Vantam,"  which  occupied  the  ground  where 
the  town  of  Utica  was  laid  off  in  1835,  and  to  the  tragedy  of 
Starved  Rock,  and  to  the  almost  complete  destruction  of  the 
once  great  nation  of  the  Illinois. 


270  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Building. — The  building  record  for  July,  1928,  sets  a  new 
high  mark  in  construction  in  Joliet.  It  means  that  Joliet  has 
a  good  future.  The  following  account  is  from  the  Herald 
News: 

"The  greatest  month  in  the  history  of  Joliet  construction 
has  just  passed  with  the  issuance  of  nearly  a  million  and  a 
half  dollars  in  permits  by  the  city  building  inspector. 

Two  factories,  a  large  office  building,  a  distributing  plant 
for  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  a  garage,  a  clinic,  a  church  and 
a  store  are  included  in  permits  totaling  $1,386,635  issued  dur- 
ing July. 

The  figure  is  more  than  five  times  the  total  for  June.  Per- 
mits for  $261,300  building  were  issued  during  that  month.  The 
nearest  approach  this  year  was  made  in  April  when  about  oner 
third  as  much  building  was  allowed.  The  total  then  was  $478,- 
725. 

These  figures  for  July  would  be  considerably  augmented 
with  the  addition  of  building  outside  of  the  city,  according  to 
John  F.  Neiswender,  city  building  inspector. 

The  Kaiser-Ducett  company  has  three  contracts  outside  the 
city  which  amount  to  $450,000.  There  is  about  $350,000  in 
residential  building  going  on  outside  of  the  city.  These  pros- 
pects have  been  included  in  the  amount  listed  for  July  by  the 
building  inspector. 

This  leaves  $564,068  which  consists  of  building  in  the  down- 
town and  residential  districts  alone,  and  $22,567  in  repairs  and 
remodeling. 

The  largest  permit  for  the  month  was  $350,000  issued  to  the 
Public  Service  Company  for  the  building  in  process  of  con- 
struction at  Ottawa  and  Cass  streets.  The  building  will  eventu- 
ally comprise  ten  stories  to  be  used  as  quarters  for  the  com- 
pany^ offices  and  displays,  quarters  for  the  Western  United 
Gas  and  Electric  Company  and  general  office  purposes. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  271 

Hansen  and  Petersen  are  in  charge  of  construction  to  be 
finished  shortly  after  the  first  of  the  year. 

The  Kaiser-Ducett  Company  is  constructing  a  $200,000  dis- 
tributing plant  for  the  Standard  Oil  Company  on  its  property 
on  Cass  street,  near  the  Farrell  Manufacturing  plant. 

Three  large  buildings  and  several  smaller  structures  are  in- 
cluded in  the  plant  to  be  used  for  the  distribution  of  petroleum 
products  of  the  oil  company  in  the  northern  Illinois  territory 
outside  of  Cook  County. 

This  company  also  has  a  contract  for  a  new  felt  mill  for  the 
Ruberoid  Company  which  will  represent  an  investment  of  ap- 
proximately $200,000  when  completed.  The  building  is  being 
put  up  to  house  machinery  for  a  complete  process  in  the  manu- 
facture of  the  company's  products. 

The  Watson  garage  is  under  construction  on  West  Jeffer- 
son Street.  The  building  when  completed  will  have  cost 
$30,000. 

A  building  to  cost  $37,500  will  house  the  Woodruff  Clinic 
at  Ottawa  and  Webster  streets. 

A  new  church  is  being  erected  by  the  St.  George  Serbian 
Orthodox  Church  listed  with  the  building  inspector  at  $30,000. 

The  remainder  of  the  construction  is  made  up  of  smaller 
shops  and  residential  buildings  together  with  repair  and  re- 
modeling jobs  going  on  about  the  city. 

More  than  $1,335,000  is  represented  in  twelve  large  build- 
ing projects  now  in  process  in  and  about  the  city. 

Some  of  these  are  represented  in  the  total  figure  of  $1,386,- 
635  in  building  permits  for  July,  the  largest  in  the  history  of 
Joliet.  Others  were  started  months  ago.  Five  of  these  build- 
ings will  be  finished  early  in  the  fall. 

Concrete  pouring  for  the  foundation  of  the  Public  Service 
building  the  largest  of  these,  is  now  finished  and  the  erection 
of  steel  about  to  begin.  The  building  represents  an  invest- 
ment of  $350,000. 


272  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Work  on  buildings  to  be  used  as  a  distributing  plant  for  the 
Standard  Oil  Company,  on  its  property  on  Cass  Street  near  the 
Farrell  Manufacturing  plant  is  well  under  way.  The  work  is 
being  done  by  Kaiser-Ducett  Company  and  will  cost  $200,000. 

Steel  work  is  completed  on  the  $140,000  building  to  house 
Dinet  and  Company  at  Ottawa  and  Cass  streets.  Efforts  are 
being  made  to  have  the  building  ready  for  occupancy  some 
time  in  October. 

One  of  the  features  will  be  an  open  court  in  the  center  of 
the  building  from  the  first  to  the  third  stories.  The  court,  36 
feet  long  by  25  feet  wide,  will  be  so  arranged  that  every  portion 
of  the  store  will  obtain  an  ample  amount  of  light. 

Steel  is  beginning  to  go  up  for  the  Sears-Roebuck  building 
on  Ottawa  Street.    The  building  is  to  cost  $85,000. 

Excavation  has  been  finished  for  the  new  Woodruff  Clinic 
being  erected  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Ottawa  and  Webster 
streets,  and  work  on  masonry  is  being  started. 

The  building  will  be  two  stories  high,  approximately  65  by 
75  feet,  fronting  on  Ottawa  Street. 

It  will  be  built  of  steel  and  tile  with  a  stucco  exterior  finish. 
The  architectural  design  will  be  similar  to  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce. 

On  the  first  floor  of  the  building  there  will  be  a  central 
reception  room  similar  to  the  patio  in  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce. There  will  be  a  mezzanine  balcony  on  the  second  floor, 
around  which  the  offices  of  doctors,  will  be  located.  Another 
reception  room  will  be  provided  on  the  second  floor.  The  build- 
ing is  to  cost  $50,000. 

Excavations  for  a  new  $30,000  building  for  the  Watson 
garage  are  being  finished  on  Jefferson  Street. 

Schools. — The  following  year's  report  of  the  Joliet  City 
Schools  is  interesting,  especially  when  presented  along  with 


INTERIOR   OF   CELL  HOUSE,   NEW   ILLINOIS    STATE    PENITENTIARY,    JOLIET,   ILLw 


CONTROL  WORKS,   LOCKPORT,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  273 

earlier  history.  The  report  covers  the  school  year  ending  on 
July  1,  1928.  ' 

When  the  city  school  board  closed  its  fiscal  year  July  1,  its 
books  show  that  it  had  a  balance  of  $3,242.31  according  to  the 
annual  report  that  is  being  compiled  by  Miss  Hazel  Cowell, 
assistant  county  superintendent  of  schools. 

The  balance  this  year  is  approximately  a  thousand  dollars 
less  than  that  of  last  year. 

The  report  shows  that  the  receipts  of  the  city  schools  for 
the  past  year  were  $642,686.53  and  the  expenditures  totaled 
$639,444.22. 

The  biggest  item  in  the  list  of  expenditures  is  that  of  sal- 
aries which  amount  to  $375,473.63. 

It  cost  $555,444.22  to  operate  the  city  schools  last  year.  This 
figure  included  salaries,  repairs  to  buildings  and  grounds,  re- 
placement of  equipment  and  all  maintenance  costs.  Added  to 
this  total  is  $40,000  applied  on  the  principal  of  the  bonded  in- 
debtedness and  $44,000  interest  on  bonds.  The  bonded  indebt- 
edness of  the  city  school  at  this  time  is  $870,000. 

It  cost  the  high  school  $529,676.26  to  operate  that  school  and 
the  junior  college.  In  addition  to  these  expenses  the  high 
school  board  paid  out  $60,000  on  the  principal  of  the  bonded 
indebtedness  and  $46,498.22  on  interest. 

Total  receipts  for  the  high  school  board  were  $708,200.34 
so  that  it  had  a  balance  on  July  1,  of  $72,025.86,  the  report 
shows. 

Penitentiary. — In  1857,  the  Legislature  authorized  the 
building  of  a  new  penitentiary,  to  be  located  at  Joliet.  Com- 
missioners were  appointed  to  superintend  the  work.  They 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  Section  3  of  this  township,  of  72.19 
acres,  with  a  front  on  the  Canal  of  55  rods.  No  better  selection 
could  probably  have  been  made.  The  ground  is  underlaid  by 
our  limestone  strata  to  such  a  depth  as  to  render  all  tunneling 

18— VOL.  1 


274  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

out  an  impossibility.  There  was  a  fine  natural  spring  on  the 
property,  and  considerable  stone,  valuable  for  its  construction, 
and  large  quarries  in  the  vicinity.  The  Chicago,  Alton  &  St. 
Louis  Railroad  passes  between  it  and  the  Canal  . 

Boyington  &  Wheelock,  of  Chicago,  were  selected  as  the 
architects,  and  a  most  extensive  and  beautiful  plan  was 
projected.  John  B.  Preston  was  appointed  superintendent  of 
construction  and  engineer,  but  served  only  a  short  time,  as  his 
duties  as  superintendent  of  the  Canal  required  his  time.  On 
his  resignation,  George  R.  McGregor  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
place.  Work  was  commenced  in  August,  1857,  and  by  January 
1,  1858,  $125,000  of  work  was  under  contract  with  Sanger  & 
Casey.  Sixteen  acres  were  inclosed  by  a  wall  six  feet  thick 
and  twenty-five  feet  high.  A  beautiful  warden's  house  occu- 
pying the  center  of  the  south  front,  with  wings  which  contain 
the  cells,  was  commenced  on  the  plan  drawn  by  the  architects 
we  have  named,  furnishing  900  congregate  cells  and  100  soli- 
tary and  100  female.  In  May,  1859,  prisoners  began  to  be  re- 
moved from  Alton,  and  by  June,  1860,  all  were  removed. 

At  the  start,  the  prison  was  leased,  but  in  June,  1867,  the 
state  assumed  control,  and  three  commissioners  were  tempo- 
rarily appointed.  They  were  subsequently  elected  by  the  people. 
A  warden,  deputy  warden,  chaplain,  matron  and  physician 
were  chosen,  and  the  work  has  been  completed  on  the  original 
plan.  Within  the  walls,  also,  many  buildings,  sheds,  etc.,  neces- 
sary for  the  mechanical  operations  carried  on,  have  been  from 
time  to  time  erected,  and  for  many  years  the  walls  inclosed  an 
immense  amount  of  mechanical  and  manufacturing  establish- 
ments, and  it  was  a  vast  hive  of  industries,  where  those  who 
have  forfeited  their  right  to  freedom  are  required  to  serve  the 
state. 

The  original  estimate  of  the  cost  was  $550,000.  The  sum 
of  $300,000  was  originally  appropriated  to  operate  it.  In  1869, 
$350,000  more  were  appropriated,  and  in  1871,  $175,000.    In 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  275 

1871,  the  law  was  revised  for  its  government,  and  the  appoint- 
ment of  commissioners  vested  in  the  governor  and  subject  to 
his  removal.  The  commissioners  were  also  authorized  to  lease 
the  labor  of  the  convicts,  and  this  was  the  plan  now  pursued 
as  far  as  possible.  During  the  last  year  of  Gov.  Palmer's  ad- 
ministration the  institution  became  self-sustaining.  The  leas- 
ing ceased  in  1906.  Very  little  manufacturing  is  done  now 
(1928). 

The  outstanding  features  which  characterize  and  differen- 
tiate the  New  Illinois  State  Penitentiary  from  others  may  be 
enumerated  as  follows: 

1.  System  of  housing  wherein  are  combined  complete  and 
efficient  supervision,  ample  security,  and  healthful,  sanitary 
"rooms"  rather  than  "cages." 

2.  A  system  of  classification  and  segregation  accomplished 
by  dividing  the  "yard"  into  sections  corresponding  to  the  dif- 
ferent "grades"  whereby  it  is  possible  to  house,  feed,  work  and 
allow  recreation  to  each  class  by  itself  and  permitting  the  ap- 
plication of  different  kinds  of  treatment  best  suited  to  meet 
the  needs  of  individual  cases. 

3.  A  system  of  co-operation  and  co-ordination  between  the 
divisions  of  Criminology,  Prisons,  and  Pardons  and  Paroles, 
whereby  each  has  the  benefits  of  the  experience  of  the  others. 

The  work  of  constructing  the  new  Illinois  State  Penitentiary 
is  in  charge  of  "The  Penitentiary  Commission,"  created  by  an 
act  of  the  Illinois  Legislature  in  1997.  Ths  original  ecmmris- 
sion  consists  of  3£?.  John  Lambert,  of  Joliet;  Mr.  James  A. 
Patten,  of  Evanston;  and  Mr.  Ira  C.  Copley,  of  Aurora.  Upon 
the  death  of  Mr.  Lambert,  Mr.  Leslie  C.  Small,  of  Kankakee, 
was  appointed,  and  became  the  secretary  of  the  commission. 
The  commissioners  served  without  pay.  They  have  devoted 
much  time  and  study  over  a  number  of  years.  They  selected 
Mr.  W.  Carbys  Zimmerman  (of  the  firm  of  Zimmerman,  Saxe 
&  Zimmerman),  of  Chicago,  as  the  architect.    Months  of  spe- 


276  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

cial  study  and  research  throughout  this  and  many  European 
countries  were  devoted  to  the  project  before  even  tentative 
plans  were  drawn.  Nearly  every  important  penal  institution 
in  the  United  States,  England,  Holland,  France,  Germany,  Italy, 
and  even  the  new  prisons  of  Egypt  and  Greece,  were  visited  by 
the  architect,  and  those  in  charge  were  interviewed  at  length 
not  alone  upon  planning  and  construction  matters,  but  also 
upon  administrative  systems.  The  new  Illinois  Penitentiary 
of  today  is  the  result  of  intensive  and  continuous  study  as  the 
work  has  progressed  from  year  to  year  and,  to  quote,  "It  con- 
tains the  most  advanced  and  forward-looking  constructive  ideas 
developed  in  prison  work  in  the  United  States  or  any  European 
country." 

The  prison  proper  is  located  about  in  the  center  of  the 
"State  Farm"  of  2,193  acres,  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Lockport  and  about  six  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  the 
Old  Joliet  Prison.  The  "yard"  contains  64  acres  (being  the 
largest  known),  and  is  surrounded  by  a  smooth  concrete  wall 
I.14  miles  long  and  33  feet  high,  14  inches  thick  at  the  top  and 
24  inches  at  the  bottom,  and  in  its  building  new  principles  of 
engineering  were  applied  which  have  been  adopted  by  other 
states.  All  the  buildings  are  of  fireproof  construction, — con- 
crete, brick,  steel,  and  "wire"  glass, — and  have  been  constructed 
very  largely  by  inmate  labor,  under  competent  supervision. 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Tomlinson  has  been  the  superintendent  of  con- 
struction from  the  beginning  of  the  first  building,  which  was 
started  August  25,  1916. 

The  radical  difference  between  the  new  Illinois  piw  and 
all  other  modern  institutions  is  in  the  design  of  the  housing 
arrangements.  In  the  circular  cell  house  it  has  been  possible 
to  combine  complete  and  efficient  supervision,  ample  security 
and  healthful,  sanitary  "rooms"  rather  than  "cages," — while 
the  cell  houses  have  the  same  appearance  from  the  outside  they 
will  vary  in  the  arrangement  of  the  rooms.    The  typical  cell 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  277 

house  has  248  single  cells — others  will  have  the  rooms  larger 
and  grouped  to  afford  dormitory  accommodations  for  from 
three  to  six  men. 

All  of  the  buildings  are  of  concrete  construction  faced  with 
light  colored  pressed  brick  with  terra  cotta  cornice  and  trim- 
mings. The  outside  walls  are  insulated  against  temperature 
changes. 

In  the  completed  new  prison  there  will  be  eight  cell  houses, 
thus  permitting  classification  by  means  of  small  units  which 
is  a  prerequisite  to  a  successful  carrying  out  of  a  graded  sys- 
tem.   Each  house  has  248  cells. 

In  the  center  of  each  cell-house  is  the  officer's  observation 
and  control  tower  which  he  enters  from  underground.  From 
this  tower  he  has  a  clear  view  of  the  interior  of  each  cell  at 
all  times,  as  the  cell  fronts  are  made  of  steel  sash  and  polished 
plate  "wire"  glass.  This  places  the  responsibility  for  thorough 
and  constant  supervision  on  the  officer  in  charge,  where  it 
should  be,  as  he  cannot  avail  himself  of  the  customary  excuse 
that  he  was  about  his  duties  elsewhere  when  wrong  acts  are 
being  committed.  From  this  tower  he  also  controls  the  entire 
lighting  and  locking  systems.  The  operation  of  the  locking 
system  is  by  hydraulic  pressure. 

Tuberculosis  has  always  been  a  great  menace  to  the  health 
of  men  in  prison.  One  of  the  greatest  preventives  of  this 
disease  is  sunlight.  In  these  new  cell  houses  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun  shine  into  each  cell  for  at  least  two  hours  each  day 
the  sun  shines.  The  cells  on  the  south  side  receive  sunlight 
through  their  outside  windows — those  on  the  north  side  re- 
ceive rays  directly  through  the  specially  designed  skylight  and 
the  glass  fronts  of  the  cells. 

In  the  new  institution  a  typical  room  or  cell  is  intended  for 
but  one  inmate.  The  dimensions  are  6'  8"  wide,  10'  6"  long  and 
8'  0"  high,  giving  approximately  550  cubic  feet  of  air  or  five 
and  one-half  times  as  much  as  is  provided  in  many  of  the  cells 


278  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

in  the  old  Joliet  prison.  Each  of  the  new  cells  is  provided  with 
a  lavatory,  a  toilet,  steam  heat,  electric  light,  a  bed,  table  and 
chair.  At  one  end  is  an  outside  window  and  at  the  other  end 
an  overhead  transom  sash  both  of  which  the  inmate  can  control 
to  secure  natural  cross  ventilation  and  pure  fresh  air.  The 
walls  and  ceilings  are  painted  with  an  impervious  enamel  so 
they  can  be  washed  with  soap  and  water  or  with  an  antiseptic 
if  necessary.  The  ceilings  are  buff,  the  walls  a  soft  light  green 
with  darker  green  trimmings,  the  colors  having  been  selected 
in  accord  with  the  psychology  of  color.  The  effect  is  cheerful, 
wholesome  and  not  coldly  "institutional."  Every  corner  is 
rounded  so  that  there  is  no  place  for  lodgment  of  vermin, 
dirt  or  disease  germs.  Thus  the  prisoner  has  such  privacy  and 
accommodations  as  to  be  protected  against  the  physical  and 
moral  foulness  of  an  adjoining  criminal,  his  every  necessity  for 
a  healthful  life,  has  been  provided  and  he  is  safely  housed  in 
a  room  which  although  sanitary,  is  far  from  luxurious,  and  in 
which  he  can  retain  his  self-respect. 

The  dining  room  is  located  in  the  center  of  the  group  of 
eight  cell  houses.  It  is  200  feet  in  diameter  and  seats  the  entire 
population  of  approximately  2,000  at  one  time.  It  is  encircled 
by  a  corridor  from  which  radiate  enclosed  passages  to  each 
of  the  eight  cell  houses  and  to  the  chapel,  laundry  and  bath 
building,  work  shops,  etc.  The  prisoners  from  each  dormitory 
are  seated  in  a  section  by  themselves  and,  as  they  enter  by 
eight  doors  the  time  required  to  serve  and  seat  the  entire  num- 
ber or  to  vacate  the  building  is  no  more  than  is  required  for 
a  single  section. 

To  facilitate  the  economical  serving  and  secure  a  more 
healthful  diet  by  providing  the  food  hot  and  appetizingly  the 
cafeteria  system  is  used,  service  being  provided  by  eight  steam 
tables — located  at  the  points  of  ingress.  To  these  stations  the 
dishes  are  returned  to  be  washed.  In  the  center  of  the  dining 
hall  is  a  stand  for  the  prison  band  of  32  pieces. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  279 

Illinois  is  the  first  state  in  the  Union  to  make  a  successful 
attempt  to  get  away  from  the  old  traditional  ideas  of  what  a 
prison  plan  and  design  should  be.  The  new  Illinois  State  Peni- 
tentiary demonstrates  the  possibility  of  introducing  new  fea- 
tures in  prison  construction  that  lend  themselves  to  the  pro- 
gram of  rehabilitation  rather  than  to  mere  punitive  handling 
or  treatment  of  those  committed  to  it  as  criminals.  It  is  be- 
lieved by  those  who  have  made  an  exhaustive  study  of  the 
treatment  of  prisoners  that  the  time  spent  in  prison  should 
so  be  used  as  a  period  of  training  and  development  of  character 
as  to  make  it  possible  for  the  prisoner,  when  his  time  is  up,  to 
live  less  a  menace  to  society  than  before.  The  time  was  when 
no  thought  was  given  to  this,  and  the  result  of  punitive  meth- 
ods alone  has  been  that  men  have  often  left  prison  in  a  bitter 
and  vindictive  frame  of  mind  against  society — a  potential  lia- 
bility rather  than  an  asset.  Even  now  the  popular  thought, 
largely  entertained  by  the  public  in  general,  is  that  "prison" 
is  a  place  where  transgressors  are  sent  only  to  be  confined,  with 
the  idea  of  punishment  and  safe  keeping  uppermost.  This 
latter  is  necessary,  of  course,  but,  under  the  laws  of  a  very 
large  percentage  of  those  committed  to  prison, — hence,  the  im- 
portance of  having  a  prison  so  designed  that  it  will  lend  itself 
to  such  a  system  of  prison  management  as  will  insure  a  prac- 
tical course  of  training  and  development  of  stable  character 
during  the  period  of  incarceration.  The  segregation  from  so- 
ciety while  "doing  time"  is  the  punishment — the  confinement 
within  barriers  is  a  necessity,  but  the  rehabilitation  of  the  man 
and  his  return  to  society  as  an  asset  is  the  final  objective. 

Such  a  plan  has  been  worked  out  by  the  penitentiary  com- 
mission for  the  benefit  of  Illinois,  and  building  operations  have 
progressed  to  such  a  point  as  to  demonstrate  the  soundness 
and  value  of  the  underlying  principles.  These  are :  Healthful 
living  conditions  and  security  of  confinement,  combined  with 
segregation  and  classification,  permitting  of  different  kinds  of 


280  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

treatment  in  preparation  for  the  several  stages  of  advance- 
ment in  the  development  of  character  under  the  Progressive 
Merit  System.  The  basic  principle  of  separation  and  classifi- 
cation is  carried  throughout,  so  that  it  is  possible  to  house,  feed, 
work,  and  allow  recreation  to  each  class  by  itself  as  completely 
as  though  each  were  confined  in  a  separate  institution,  and 
more  completely  than  has  heretofore  been  possible  in  any  sim- 
ilar institution. 

On  this  date  (July  21,  1928)  the  population  of  the  Illinois 
State  Penitentiary  reached  3,239.  The  new  penitentiary  at 
Stateville  leads  with  1,601  inmates.  The  following  account  is 
from  the  Joliet  Herald  News  for  July  21,  1928: 

"All  records  for  inmates  at  the  state  prison  here  have  been 
shattered  as  the  county  in  three  penal  institutions  is  above 
the  3,200  mark. 

"Figures  obtained  from  the  prison  yesterday  show  1,469 
inmates  at  the  old  prison,  1,601  at  the  new  prison  at  Stateville, 
84  at  the  honor  farm  and  85  women  inmates,  making  a  total 
of  3,239. 

"There  are  two  factors  attributed  by  Warden  Elmer  J. 
Green  for  the  large  number  of  inmates.  Warden  Green  pointed 
out  that  the  courts  are  dealing  out  longer  sentences  in  an  effort 
to  stem  crime,  while  the  parole  board  is  requiring  prisoners  to 
serve  a  longer  length  of  time  than  was  formerly  the  custom. 

"Warden  Green  is  confronted  with  a  hard  task  of  finding 
employment  for  this  vast  army  of  men.  A  large  number  are 
used  in  construction  work  at  the  new  prison,  others  in  the 
shops  and  quarry. 

"There  are  84  men  stationed  at  the  honor  farm,  but  every 
morning  a  detail  from  60  to  100  men  is  taken  from  the  new 
prison  at  Stateville  to  do  farm  work.  Great  care  must  be  taken 
in  selecting  men  for  this  work  because  of  the  certain  amount 
of  liberty  allowed  the  farm  workers. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  281 

"Men  who  have  proven  by  their  conduct  that  they  merit 
trust  are  selected  for  the  farm  detail. 

"There  is  very  little  possibility  that  the  state  will  be  able  to 
abandon  the  old  prison  during  the  next  five  years,  unless  a 
large  sum  is  appropriated  for  new  cell-houses  at  the  Stateville 
prison." 


CHAPTER  XII. 


TOWNSHIPS,  CONTINUED. 


LOCKPORT  TOWNSHIP— LOCKPORT— LOCKPORT  TOWNSHIP  HIGH  SCHOOL— MAN- 
HATTAN TOWNSHIP— MANHATTAN — MONEE  TOWNSHIP — MONEE — NEW 
LENOX  TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE  OF  NEW  LENOX — PEOTONE  TOWNSHIP — PE- 
OTONE— PLAINFIELD  TOWNSHIP— PLAINFIELD— REED  TOWNSHIP— CITY 
OF  BRAIDWOOD — TROY  TOWNSHIP 

Lockport  Township  includes  a  portion  of  the  "Great  High- 
way", which  passes  through  Will  County.  Aborigines  passed 
through  on  their  expeditions  of  peace  and  war.  Interesting, 
indeed,  would  be  the  account  of  their  journeys,  how  they  trav- 
eled, what  plans  they  had,  what  rejoicings  there  were  after  a 
successful  tour  or  what  sorrowings  there  were  when  they 
failed.  The  Indians  passed  and  repassed  through  many  gen- 
erations. Sometimes  they  traded  and  sometimes  they  warred. 
They,  too,  had  a  wonderful  history,  but  nothing  remains  to 
record  these  things  excepting  remains  from  tombs  and  a  few 
traditions.  From  these  we  gather  much  which  has  been  given 
in  a  previous  chapter.  The  white  man  left  more  records.  Father 
Marquette  came  this  way.  Joliet  sought  his  fortune  through 
this  route.  The  later  settlers  left  records  and  these  are  our 
theme  in  this  account  of  Lockport  Township. 

The  first  permanent  settler  in  Lockport  Township  was  Arm- 
stead  Runyon,  who  came  to  the  neighborhood  in  October,  1830, 
He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  but  removed  to  Ohio  when  but  fif- 
teen years  old,  where  he  remained  until  1827,  when  he  came  to 

282 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  283 

Danville,  Illinois.  Here  he  remained  until  his  removal  to  Lock- 
port,  as  above  stated.  His  first  winter  in  this  section  was  that 
of  the  "deep  snow,"  so  vividly  remembered  by  the  few  old  set- 
tlers still  surviving,  and  who  were  here  that  memorable  winter. 
Mr.  Runyon  had  a  large  amount  of  stock,  most  of  which  he 
left  at  Danville,  except  some  hogs  which  he  brought  with  him, 
thinking  they  would  winter  on  nuts  and  acorns,  but  they  all 
perished  during  the  deep  snow,  as  he  had  nothing  to  feed  them. 
The  next  spring,  as  soon  as  the  snow  had  sufficiently  disap- 
peared to  allow  travel  with  safety,  he  took  his  men  and  went 
to  Danville  after  the  remainder  of  his  stock  and  for  provisions. 
The  high  waters,  consequent  on  the  melting  of  such  quantities 
of  snow,  detained  him  six  weeks  beyond  the  time  he  expected 
to  be  gone,  and  his  family  ran  short  of  provisions  before  his 
return.  Mrs.  Boyer,  of  Lockport,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Runyon's, 
informed  us  that  for  several  weeks  before  he  returned  they 
had  nothing  to  live  on  but  salt  pork  and  corn  bread  made  of 
meal  so  musty  that  it  did  not  seem  fit  for  a  dog  to  eat.  She 
remembered  but  two  families  then  living  in  what  is  now  Lock- 
port  and  Homer  Townships  besides  her  father's,  viz.,  Edward 
Poor  and  a  man  named  Butler,  who  lived  where  Mr.  Milne  now 
lives.  Of  Butler  she  remembered  but  little  except  that  he  lived 
there;  but  whence  he  came  or  whither  he  went  she  had  for- 
gotten. When  her  father  decided  to  remove  to  this  section, 
he  gathered  up,  brought  his  family  and  hired  men  to  the  place 
and  lived  in  a  tent  until  he  got  his  cabin  ready  to  move  into. 
Mrs.  Boyer  remembered  very  distinctly  how  the  prairie  wolves 
used  to  come  round  that  tent  and  render  the  night  hideous  with 
their  blood-curdling  howls.  When  the  news  came  of  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  and  that  the  savages  were  moving  in  this  direction, 
Mr.  Runyon  was  plowing  in  the  field,  which  he  continued  until 
noon  notwithstanding  the  exciting  rumors.  He  then  gathered 
together  his  family  and  what  goods  he  designed  to  take,  and 
moved  on  to  Hickory  Creek,  where  the  settlers  were  to  rendez- 


284  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

vous  preparatory  to  retreating  toward  Danville.  But  upon  his 
arrival  there  he  found  they  were  already  gone.  His  company 
consisted  of  his  own  family,  Edward  Poor's,  Holder  Sissons's 
and  Selah  Lanfear's.  Finding  that  the  Hickory  Creek  people 
were  gone,  they  held  a  council  of  war,  and,  at  Mr.  Runyon's 
suggestion,  went  to  Chicago,  or  Fort  Dearborn,  instead  of  Dan- 
ville, as  originally  intended.  He  was  also  the  first  to  propose 
to  come  out  from  Chicago  and  build  the  blockhouse  which  was 
built  on  Mr.  Sisson's  place,  as  noticed  further  on.  Indians  were 
plenty  in  this  section  when  they  first  settled  here,  but  of  the 
friendly  Pottawatomies;  and  Mrs.  Boyer  remembers  an  en- 
campment, or  Indian  town,  on  both  sides  of  her  father's  place, 
and  their  trail  from  the  one  to  the  other  was  by  the  house. 
They  used  nearly  always  to  come  in  when  passing,  but  did 
nothing  wrong  and  generally  behaved  very  well.  While  Mr. 
Runyon  was  gone  to  Danville,  and  detained  so  long,  it  was 
reported  that  the  smallpox  was  at  the  Indian  camps,  and  Mrs. 
Runyon  refused  to  let  any  of  them  come  into  her  house ;  when 
they  were  seen  approaching,  the  proverbial  latch-string  was 
drawn  in.  This  very  seriously  offended  the  "noble  red  men," 
but  they  offered  no  molestation.  Mr.  Runyon  went  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1849,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  September,  1875.  His  daughter,  Mrs.  Boyer,  made  a  trip 
there  to  see  him  the  summer  before  he  died.  Though  one  of  the 
very  earliest  in  this  section,  he  had  been  away  so  long  that  none 
but  the  oldest  settlers  remember  him  personally. 

Many  of  the  early  settlements  of  Lockport  were  made  by 
NewT  Yorkers — men  of  intelligence  and  enterprise — qualities 
still  distinguishable  at  the  present  day.  Among  these  early 
pioneers,  we  may  mention  the  following  from  the  Empire  State: 
Holder  Sisson  and  his  brother-in-law,  Cyrus  Bronson,  Selah 
Lanfear,  Lyman  Hawley,  and  his  son  Warren  Hawley,  Nathan 
Hutchins,  William  Thomas,  William  Gooding,  Isaac  Preston, 
A.  J.  Mathewson,  David  C.  Baldwin,  Edward  P.  Farley,  Col. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  285 

James  Wright,  James  S.  Baker,  Justin  Taylor,  Horace  Morse, 
Hiram  Norton,  and  Henry  Bush.  Sisson  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  in  the  township,  and  located  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  in  October,  1831,  on  what  has  since  been  known  as  the 
Hanf ord  place.  He  was  born  in  Rhode  Island  in  1790,  and  died 
in  April,  1878,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  Though 
born  in  Rhode  Island,  most  of  his  life  had  been  spent  in  New 
York,  until  his  removal  to  the  West.  He  served  six  months  in 
the  War  of  1812;  was  captain  of  a  company  during  the  Black 
Hawk  war,  and  built  a  fort  or  blockhouse  on  his  place  near 
the  village  of  Lockport,  in  the  spring  of  1832.  He  first  located 
in  Indiana,  near  the  present  city  of  Evansville,  at  which  time 
the  country  was  new  and  very  sparsely  settled.  During  the 
fifteen  years  he  remained  there,  he  improved  five  farms,  and, 
finding  no  market  there  for  his  produce,  built  flatboats  and 
carried  it  to  New  Orleans.  As  an  example  of  his  indomitable 
energy,  of  the  four  trips  he  made  to  the  Crescent  City,  he  re- 
turned from  two  of  them  on  foot.  From  this  Indiana  settle- 
ment he  returned  to  New  York,  but  did  not  remain  long,  until 
he  again  removed  to  the  West,  as  already  noticed,  in  October, 
1831,  and  settled  in  this  township.  When  the  Black  Hawk  war 
broke  out,  the  families  of  the  few  settlers  were  removed  to  Fort 
Dearborn  (now  Chicago)  for  safety;  they  made  the  trip  to 
that  haven  of  peace  in  ox-teams,  and  on  the  return  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  men,  Mr.  Sisson  was  elected  captain,  and  proceeded 
at  once  to  build  a  blockhouse,  and  make  preparations  for  de- 
fense. On  receiving  his  command,  he  was  ordered  by  General 
Scott  to  proceed  with  his  company  to  Indian  Creek,  in  LaSalle 
County,  and  bury  the  unfortunate  whites  massacred  there  by 
the  Indians.  In  November,  after  settling  in  Lockport,  he  went 
to  Michigan  where  he  had  sold  a  drove  of  cattle  "on  time" 
while  living  in  the  Wabash  country,  to  try  to  make  some  col- 
lections ;  but  the  trip  was  a  fruitless  one,  as  well  as  one  of  pri- 
vation both  to  him  and  his  family  at  home,  which  at  that  time 


286  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

consisted  of  a  wife  and  five  little  children.  The  winter  set  in, 
and  he  was  detained  long  beyond  the  time  he  had  intended  re- 
maining; his  family  was  almost  without  provisions,  or  any  of 
the  necessities  of  life.  During  his  absence  his  wife  had  to  go 
out  and  cut  wood  in  the  forest  and  carry  it  to  the  cabin  to 
keep  her  children  from  freezing.  There  were  few  neighbors, 
and  they  were  at  a  distance;  Indians  were  plenty,  but  mostly 
of  the  friendly  Pottawatomies,  and  under  these  circumstances, 
the  heroic  woman  endured  the  long  absence  of  her  husband 
ignorant  of  his  fate,  and  hardly  daring  to  hope  for  his  return, 
owing  to  the  severity  with  which  the  winter  had  set  in.  His 
sufferings  and  perils  were  great,  and  a  man  of  less  courage 
and  energy  would  have  sunk  beneath  them.  As  he  was  return- 
ing from  his  fruitless  trip,  while  crossing  Mud  Lake  with  his 
Indian  pony,  the  ice  gave  way  and  pony  and  rider  were  sub- 
merged; the  weather  was  piercing  cold  and  the  snow  nearly 
two  feet  deep.  It  was  night,  and  in  his  frozen  clothes  he  rode 
on  to  his  home,  not  knowing  whether  he  would  find  his  wife 
and  children  alive  or  dead.  Upon  his  arrival,  finding  them  all 
well  and  comfortable  as  could  be  expected  under  the  circum- 
stances, he  sat  down  and  wept  like  a  child.  But  we  draw  a 
veil  over  the  meeting,  and,  as  the  novelists  say,  leave  it  to  be 
imagined;  to  describe  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  any  who  never 
experienced  a  similar  meeting.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war,  he  sold  his  claim  to  Comstock  Hanford  and 
removed  to  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Planes,  on  the  bluff  where 
George  Wightman  (who  married  Mr.  Sisson's  youngest  daugh- 
ter) lived.  The  second  night  after  his  removal  to  this  place, 
a  prairie  fire,  one  of  those  terrors  to  the  early  settlers,  came 
well-nigh  ruining  him.  Sixty  tons  of  hay,  standing  in  ricks, 
were  burned,  and  handfuls  of  the  cinders  could  be  picked  up 
on  the  spot  where  the  ricks  stood  many  years  after.  Of  170 
head  of  sheep,  they  were  all  burned  to  death  or  injured  so 
that  they  died  from  the  effects,  with  the  exception  of  six  or 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  287 

eight;  and  of  forty  head  of  cattle,  many  died  from  the  scorch- 
ing, and  those  left  he  was  obliged  to  sell  for  a  dollar  or  two 
apiece  to  prevent  them  from  starving  on  his  hands,  as  he  had 
nothing  left  to  feed  them. 

William  Gooding,  together  with  the  family  of  his  father, 
who  are  also  mentioned  in  the  history  of  Homer  Township, 
came  to  Illinois  in  1833.  He  had  been  prevented  from  coming 
earlier  on  account  of  "wars  and  the  rumors  of  wars"  of  Black 
Hawk.  He  and  his  wife  and  infant  son  were  the  first  pas- 
sengers to  come  around  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  with  the 
United  States  mail,  and  arrived  in  Chicago  in  May  of  the  year 
mentioned,  when  the  metropolis  of  the  Great  Northwest  was 
mighty  in  nothing  but  its  mud  and  mire,  and  contained  but 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants  besides  the  garrison. 
Three  days  later,  they  arrived  in  Gooding's  Grove,  then  a  part 
of  Cook  County.  In  1836,  he  was  appointed  chief  engineer  of 
the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal,  which  position  he  held  until  its 
completion,  in  1848. 

As  already  stated,  there  were  plenty  of  Indians  here  when 
the  white  people  began  to  settle  in  the  vicinity,  but  they  were 
friendly,  lazy,  and  not  at  all  times  disposed  to  heed  that  com- 
mandment forbidding  us  to  steal.  Says  the  "Will  County  Gazet- 
teer," of  1860:  "From  the  observations  of  the  first  white  set- 
tlers in  this  vicinity,  it  is  evident  that  what  is  now  Lockport 
had  long  been  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Indian  tribes  which  had 
occupied  this  section  of  the  country.  The  spreading  oaks,  the 
clear  running  brooks,  the  rapid  river,  all  made  this  one  of  the 
brightest  spots  in  this  paradise  of  the  red  man.  Here  their 
graves  are  found,  their  caches,  or  places  for  hiding  their  corn, 
etc.,  and  arrow-heads,  stone  hatchets  and  other  evidences  of 
their  having  lived  and  died  here.  Even  after  the  settlements 
by  the  whites  commenced,  the  Indians  often  came  here  to  spend 
the  hunting  and  fishing  season.  Another  reason  why  this  be- 
came an  important  stopping-place  for  them  was,  that  here  was 


288  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  best  ford  across  the  Des  Planes  River,  and  a  crossing  could 
be  effected  here  in  consequence  of  the  rapid  fall  and  numerous 
channels  into  which  the  river  was  divided  in  extreme  high 
water,  when  it  could  nowhere  else."  But  the  time  came  when, 
"Lo!  the  poor  Indian,"  with  the  star  of  empire,  had  to  wend 
his  way  westward.  Their  old  hunting-grounds  have  changed 
into  broad,  cultivated  fields,  and  herds  of  domestic  animals 
now  graze  where  they  once  chased  the  wild  deer.  Their  war- 
whoop  is  no  longer  heard,  their  council-fires  have  gone  out  in 
the  forests  and  few  now  living  remember  them  from  personal 
knowledge.  Mrs.  Wightman  said  she  very  well  remembered 
the  last  Indians  she  saw  in  this  settlement.  She  and  others  of 
her  father's  children  were  sitting  on  the  fence  eating  butter 
and  bread,  when  two  Indians  came  along  on  their  ponies,  and 
snatched  the  butter  and  bread  from  their  hands.  Mr.  Rogers, 
who  lived  in  the  neighborhood,  had  called  for  something  and 
witnessed  their  act  to  the  children,  became  incensed,  and  seiz- 
ing Mr.  Sisson's  horse-whip  rode  after  the  Indians  and  whipped 
them  every  jump  for  a  mile  or  more.  She  was  a  small  child 
at  the  time,  but  remembers  the  occurrance  and  that  they  were 
the  last  she  ever  saw  in  the  country.  Mr.  Bronson  says  that 
when  they  took  up  their  line  of  march  for  their  new  hunting- 
grounds  beyond  the  Mississippi,  they  presented  a  rather  sad 
and  mournful  spectacle,  as  they  trudged  along  on  foot  in  true 
Indian  file,  with  heads  bowed  down  and  a  melancholy  and  de- 
jected cast  of  countenance,  that  might  well  have  become  the 
bard  of  Bonny  Doon,  when  he  wrote: 

"Farewell  my  friends,  farewell  my  foes, 
My  peace  with  these,  my  love  with  those." 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Lockport  Township  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  Orrin  Runyon,  who  was  born  on  the  27th 
of  May,  1833.  He  lives  now  in  California.  This  is  doubtless 
correct,  as  at  that  time  there  were  but  a  few  families  in  the 


*" ~****$&fe&»"#    "     ^T  "' 


W"&         y"WB 


mm  :s    1 


CATHOLIC   SCHOOL,   LOCKPORT,   ILL. 


£^XSL-      62r.         NwCNC.\0$^^05;  ^ 


t-4, 


STATE  STREET,  LOCKPORT,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  289 

town.  The  first  birth  on  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Planes  River, 
in  the  present  limits  of  Lockport,  was  Eliel  S.  Bronson,  a  son 
of  Cyrus  Bronson,  born  April  23,  1835.  The  first  marriage 
was  that  of  Louisa  Webb  and  Michael  Noel,  and  the  matri- 
monial knot  was  tied  by  C.  C.  Van  Home,  a  justice  of  the  peace 
from  the  Hickory  Creek  settlement. 

The  following  circumstance  is,  perhaps,  not  out  of  place  in 
this  connection.  A  son  of  Nathan  Hutchins  went  to  Chicago 
with  a  wagon  and  team.  He  carried  a  load  of  produce  to  be 
exhanged  for  groceries  and  such  goods  as  were  needed  at  home. 
They  were  then  living  near  Rockford,  having  moved  to  that 
section  in  1836.  The  young  man's  team  was  found  stabled  by 
some  one  who  recognized  it,  and  word  sent  to  Hutchins,  who 
came  and  took  it  home.  It  had  been  there  several  days,  the 
proprietor  of  the  stable  feeding  and  caring  for  it  without  know- 
ing to  whom  it  belonged.  From  that  day  to  this,  the  young 
man  has  not  been  heard  of.  It  is  said  that  he  had  a  little  money 
and  whether  he  ran  away  or  was  murdered  is,  and  will  per- 
haps remain  forever,  one  of  the  unrevealed  mysteries. 

The  first  practicing  physician  in  Lockport  Township  was  a 
Dr.  Miner,  who  came  to  the  settlement  in  the  winter  of  1833- 
34,  and  lived  on  Mr.  Runyon's  place  for  a  year  or  two.  He  was 
an  Eastern  man,  but  from  what  state  could  not  be  ascertained. 

The  first  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try was  a  young  man  from  Massachusetts,  of  the  name  of 
Greenwood,  sent  out  by  the  Home  Mission  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  who  preached  for  a  year  and  a  half  at  the  house 
of  the  elder  Bronson,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Planes  River. 
After  leaving  his  labors  in  this  town,  he  went  to  the  wilds  of 
Wisconsin,  and  once  got  lost  in  what  was  well  known  in  an 
early  day  as  the  "Big  Swamp"  of  the  Badger  State,  and  came 
very  near  starving  to  death  before  he  found  his  way  out.  He 
had  some  property  and  when  believing  he  was  doomed  to  perish 
in  the  dismal  swamp,  sat  down  and  wrote  his  will,  threw  it  on 

19— VOL.  1 


290  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  ground  and  lay  down  by  it  to  die.  But  reviving  somewhat 
after  awhile,  got  up  and  pursued  his  way  in  a  kind  of  listless 
manner,  until  the  crowing  of  a  cock  infused  new  life  into  him 
and  assured  him  that  relief  was  at  hand.  He  found  the  cabin 
of  a  settler,  who  took  him  in,  gave  him  food,  and  where  he 
remained  until  his  exhausted  energies  were  fully  restored.  The 
next  preachers  to  proclaim  salvation  in  this  township  were  the 
Methodist  itinerants,  Revs.  Blackburn  and  Beggs,  the  latter 
removed  to  Plainfield,  to  rest  from  a  long  life  of  labor  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord.  Another  of  the  early  preachers  of  that 
day  was  a  Congregational  minister  of  the  name  of  Foster,  who 
used  to  preach  at  the  schoolhouse,  long  before  there  was  a 
church  edifice  in  the  town.  The  old  fellow  had  a  way  of  wiping 
his  nose  on  his  coat-tail,  when  preaching,  a  performance  not 
altogether  agreeable  to  his  hearers;  and  so  Dr.  Daggett,  with 
some  others,  raised  a  contribution  and  bought  the  good  old 
preacher  a  beautiful  red  bandana,  which,  with  due  solemnity, 
they  presented  to  him.  The  elder  Mr.  Bronson  was  in  Chicago 
one  day  with  his  team,  and  when  about  starting  home  was  ac- 
costed by  a  very  polite,  courteous  gentleman,  with  a  slight 
foreign  accent,  who  asked  to  ride  out  with  him.  He  brought 
him  out  in  his  wagon,  found  him  very  intelligent,  and  was  well 
pleased  with  him.  Acting  upon  the  injunction  to  be  kind  to 
the  wayfaring  man,  for  many  have  so  entertained  angels  una- 
wares, he  kept  him  over  night,  and  in  the  morning  sent  him 
on  to  Joliet.  A  few  days  later  Mr.  Bronson  was  in  Joliet,  when 
the  same  gentleman  came  up  and  spoke  to  him,  apparently  very 
glad  to  see  him.  He  then  learned  that  it  was  Father  Plunkett, 
sent  to  Joliet  to  take  charge  of  the  Catholic  Church  there,  and 
whose  melancholy  death  is  noted  in  the  history  of  that  city. 

Education  received  attention  at  a  very  early  period  in  the 
history  of  Lockport.  The  first  school  of  which  we  have  any 
account  was  taught  in  1835,  by  a  young  lady  from  Joliet,  whose 
name  is  now  forgotten.    She  afterward  married  a  man  named 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  291 

Eastman,  and  removed  to  Chicago.  The  next  was  taught  by 
a  Miss  Royce,  of  Dupage  Township.  Both  of  these  schools  were 
before  the  day  of  schoolhouses,  and  were  taught  in  a  little  room 
built  by  Captain  Sisson  as  an  addition  to  his  dwelling  and  in- 
tended for  a  kitchen,  but  surrendered  it  for  school  purposes. 
The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  by  the  neighbors  en  masse,  and 
was  a  small  log  cabin.  The  work  and  material  were  donated 
— one  man  giving  logs,  etc.,  while  another  cut  down  a  tree, 
sawed  it  up  and  made  "shakes,"  or  boards,  to  cover  it.  A  log 
was  cut  out  for  a  window,  a  large  fireplace  with  a  stick  chim- 
ney, and  benches  made  by  splitting  open  a  small  tree,  boring 
auger-holes  and  putting  in  legs,  is  a  pen  photograph  of  this 
primitive  schoolhouse.  There  are  some  who  assert  that  the 
first  school  was  taught  by  a  Miss  Warren,  of  Warrenville,  Du- 
Page  County,  as  early  as  1834,  just  in  the  edge  of  Lockport, 
near  what  was  known  as  the  Barnett  place. 

The  town  site  for  Lockport  was  chosen  by  the  canal  com- 
missioners, and  the  village  laid  out  by  them.  It  was  selected 
with  a  view  of  making  it  their  headquarters,  and  soon  after 
its  selection,  they  erected  their  Canal  office  here,  which  has 
ever  since,  with  some  improvement,  been  used  for  that  purpose. 
The  village  was  laid  out  under  the  supervision  of  William  B. 
Archer,  by  a  surveyor  named  Wampler,  and  the  first  sale  of 
lots  took  place  on  the  22d  day  of  November,  1837,  and  lots  sold 
to  the  amount  of  $6,000.  The  Canal  office  was  the  first  building 
of  any  importance  erected  in  the  town,  and  doubtless  had  con- 
siderable influence  in  inducing  the  first  settlers  of  the  village 
to  come  to  the  place.  The  Canal  commissioners,  as  well  as  many 
other  persons  of  intelligence,  probably  over-rated  the  advan- 
tages of  this  locality  for  a  commercial  and  manufacturing 
town. 

The  first  store  was  established  in  Runyontown  (now  North 
Lockport)  by  a  man  named  Kellogg,  and  was  but  a  sort  of 
grocery  store,  a  rather  small  affair.    Goss  &  Parks  kept  the 


292  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

first  dry  goods  store  at  the  same  place,  and  at  the  laying-out 
t)f  Lockport  proper,  removed  within  its  limits,  Goss  and  Ste- 
phen Godding  opening  a  store  in  partnership,  and  Parks  like- 
wise opening  one  on  its  own  hook.  After  the  retirement  of 
Stephen  Gooding,  Oliver  P.  Gooding  took  charge  of  this,  and 
soon  other  mercantile  establishments  were  opened,  and  Lock- 
port  grew  rapidly.  The  first  building  of  any  pretensions  erected 
was  the  Canal  office,  as  already  stated.  There  were,  however, 
several  cabins  and  huts  put  up  within  the  present  limits  of 
the  village,  by  the  early  settlers,  long  before  it  was  laid  out  as 
a  village.  The  first  tavern  was  built  by  Horace  Morse,  but  Mr. 
Runyon,  we  believe,  kept  travelers  before  this  tavern  was  built, 
though  he  did  not  pretend  to  keep  a  regular  hotel.  The  first 
postoffice  was  established  in  1836,  over  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  at  the  stone  mill,  and  Edward  P.  Bush  was  the  first  post- 
master. The  office  remained  at  the  mill  until  1839,  when  it  was 
removed  across  the  river  to  the  east  side,  where  it  has  ever 
since  remained.  While  at  the  mill,  the  mail  came  once  a  week, 
and  was  brought  on  horseback.  In  1839,  coaches  were  put  on 
the  Chicago  and  Ottawa  route,  and  the  mail  then  came  that 
way,  which  was  considered,  in  that  early  day,  quite  an  improve- 
ment, and  a  considerable  advance  toward  civilization.  The 
first  representatives  of  the  legal  profession  were  Gen.  James 
Turney  and  John  W.  Paddock,  both  long  since  dead. 

The  Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  Lockport  at  an 
early  date.  In  1838,  this  was  included  in  Joliet  Circuit,  with 
Rev.  William  Crissey,  pastor,  and  Rev.  John  Clarke,  presiding 
elder.  In  the  winter  of  1838,  Rev.  Mr.  Crissey  formed  the 
first  class  in  Lockport,  consisting  of  G.  L.  Works,  class-leader, 
his  wife,  D.  Rreesee  and  wife,  M.  Brooks,  R.  Lowrie,  Polly  Mc- 
Millen,  Dira  Manning,  A.  Heath  and  Julia  Reed.  In  the  spring 
of  1842,  Col.  Joel  Manning  joined  on  probation,  and  was  ap- 
pointed class  leader,  a  position  he  held  for  fifteen  years.  In 
1852,  Lockport  was  made  a  station,  and,  in  1854,  it  and  Plain- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  293 

field  were  united.  In  1854-55,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  M. 
Reed,  the  present  fine  stone  church  was  built,  at  a  cost  of 
$7,000;  and,  in  1867,  a  second  parsonage  was  built,  costing 
about  $3,000,  on  a  beautiful  lot  opposite  the  church. 

The  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1844,  by  Rev.  Solomon 
Knapp,  with  twenty-one  members.  Some  years  later,  their 
church  was  built,  a  neat  little  frame  building,  which  cost  about 
$1,500. 

The  Congregational  Church  was  organized  in  1838,  with 
nine  members,  viz.:  Erastus  Newton  and  wife,  John  Gooding 
and  wife,  Harvey  Raymond,  Dr.  Chauncey  White  and  wife, 
and  William  B.  Newton  and  wife.  The  church  was  built  in 
1839,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  The  first  minister  was  Rev.  Isaac 
Foster,  and  following  him  in  the  order  given  were  Rev.  Jona- 
than Porter,  Rev.  Alanson  Porter,  Rev.  Joel  Grant,  Rev.  Mr. 
Whiting,  Rev.  George  Slosser,  Rev.  Alfred  L.  Riggs,  Rev.  H. 
C.  Abernethy,  Rev.  Mr.  Post,  Rev.  A.  B.  Brown,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Storm,  and  Rev.  S.  I.  McKee. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Society  was  organized  here  at  the 
commencement  of  the  building  of  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal, 
and  was  at  first  attended  by  the  priests  in  charge  of  the  Joliet 
Mission.  The  first  resident  priest  at  Lockport  was  Father 
Dennis  Ryan,  and  the  first  church  was  a  small  frame  shanty, 
moved  from  Lemont,  which,  with  some  improvements,  was  used 
for  a  house  of  worship  until  1877.  In  1877,  the  elegant  stone 
church  was  begun.  When  finished,  this  was  the  finest  church  in 
the  city,  and  handsome  ornament  to  the  place.  It  cost  about 
$25,000.  The  architects  were  Egan  &  Hill,  of  Chicago,  and 
the  stone  was  furnished  by  J.  A.  Boyer,  of  Lockport.  Father 
Dorney  was  the  priest  in  charge,  and  to  his  energetic  efforts 
was  the  parish  indebted  for  this  magnificent  church.  This 
church  is  still  a  splendid  edifice  visible  for  miles  because  of  its 
commanding  position  on  the  hill. 


294  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  City  of  Lockport  is  now  a  residential  section  for  Joliet 
and  Chicago.  It  has  a  large  number  of  commuters  for  Chi- 
cago each  day,  people  who  find  employment  in  schools,  offices, 
and  factories.  Many  others  use  the  electric  line  to  take  them 
to  Joliet  for  the  various  industries  of  that  city.  A  good  street 
car  service  is  maintained.  A  bus  line  runs  between  the  two 
cities  and  a  concrete  road  makes  it  possible  to  pass  back  and 
forth  quickly. 

It  has  the  Chicago  and  Alton  Railroad  connecting  it  with 
Chicago  and  all  points  south.  It  has  the  interurban  electric 
line  which  is  one  of  the  few  lines  which  has  survived  in  the  com- 
petition with  busses  and  trucks.  It  is  a  flourishing  institution 
and  bids  fair  to  continue  for  many  years.  The  concrete  road, 
Route  4  of  the  Illinois  State  Highway  System,  makes  it  possible 
to  drive  back  and  forth  over  good  roads. 

There  are  three  large  manufacturing  industries  in  the  city 
of  Lockport.  The  Barrows  Lock  Company  which  has  been  lo- 
cated there  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  This  firm 
has  uniformly  good  business  amounting  to  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  million  dollars  per  year.  It  furnishes  steady  employment 
to  many  men  at  good  wages.  The  Northern  Illinois  Cereal 
Company  has  been  located  in  Lockport  for  fifteen  years.  It 
took  over  the  plant  of  the  Morton  Flour  Mills  which  could  not 
compete  with  the  larger  concerns  of  the  northwest  where  wheat 
was  easily  obtained.  This  cereal  company  is  a  prosperous  con- 
cern. Its  business  amounts  to  more  than  half  a  million  dollars 
per  year.  The  Texas  Company  has  a  plant  which  covers  half 
a  section  of  land  upon  which  they  have  storage  tanks  by  the 
score,  refining  plants  and  all  of  the  other  equipment  neces- 
sary for  producing  the  various  products  from  crude  petroleum. 
The  crude  oil  comes  by  a  pipe  line  from  Houston,  Texas,  and 
other  points  in  the  southwest.  Large  shipments  are  also  re- 
ceived in  tank  cars.  A  business  of  this  concern  amounts  to 
millions  of  dollars  per  year  and  reaches  into  many  states.    The 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  295 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  office  is  still  maintained  in  this 
city.  While  the  old  canal  is  no  longer  filled  with  water  between 
Joliet  and  Chicago,  below  Joliet  there  is  some  traffic.  The 
Lockport  office  manages  all  of  the  details  of  that  institution. 

Lockport  has  good  paved  roads.  It  is  a  city  of  beautiful 
homes,  located  upon  the  higher  land  above  the  valley. 

The  schools  of  Lockport  are  very  good  and  consist  of  three 
grade  schools  and  the  township  high  school.  The  township 
high  school  takes  care  of  about  190  students.  It  has  a  capacity 
for  many  more  and  will  be  able  to  take  care  of  the  increased 
attendance  for  another  decade.  The  grade  schools,  three  in 
number,  the  Lockport  City  Grade  School  which  employs  twelve 
teachers;  the  Taft  School  which  is  sometimes  known  as  the 
South  Lockport  School  employs  eight  teachers;  and  the  Fair- 
mont School  employs  eleven  teachers.  This  last  named  school 
has  a  new  building  in  the  process  of  construction  at  the  present 
time.  The  new  structure  includes  a  modern  gymnasium  with 
all  of  the  modern  equipment  for  that  part  of  the  school  work. 
All  of  these  schools  are  well  managed  by  able  school  men. 

Lockport  Township  High  School  was  organized  in  the  year 
1908  and  housed  in  a  new  $50,000  building,  located  on  the  block 
bordered  by  Jefferson,  Madison,  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth 
Streets.  In  the  year  1911,  there  were  152  students  in  the  build- 
ing and  the  school  graduated  twenty  students.  The  attendance 
gradually  increased  until  it  was  deemed  feasible  to  build  a  new 
addition  to  the  original  structure  which  cost  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  $85,000.  This  addition  was  erected  in  1925.  Just  prior 
to  this,  a  sixteen  acre  athletic  field  had  been  purchased  by  the 
Board  of  Education  and  during  the  last  year,  the  three  tennis 
courts  on  that  field  have  been  paved.  The  attendance  during 
the  fall  of  1928  has  reached  the  mark  of  270.  Forty-five  seniors 
were  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1928. 


296  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  school  is  a  member  of  the  North  Central  Association  of 
Secondary  Schools  and  Colleges  and  is  accredited  by  the  State 
Department,  by  the  University  of  Illinois  and  also  by  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago.  A  wide  choice  of  subjects  is  offered  to  stu- 
dents in  the  academic,  commercial,  vocational,  domestic  science, 
music,  and  athletic  departments.  There  is  a  band  of  forty-five 
pieces  and  an  orchestra  of  twenty-four  pieces.  Two  Girl  Scout 
Troops  are  an  integral  part  of  the  high  school.  The  school  has 
charters  from  the  National  Athletic  Scholarship  Society  and 
from  the  National  Honor  Society.  A  school  paper  is  published 
every  month  and  a  school  annual  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

The  Board  of  Education  is  composed  of  Mr.  H.  A.  Godfrey, 
president,  who  resides  at  Fairmount;  Mr.  Joseph  Hyland,  who 
is  employed  at  the  Northern  Illinois  Cereal  Company;  Mr.  Mur- 
ray Ladd,  president  of  the  Illinois  Cereal  Company;  Gilbert 
Pierce,  who  owns  and  operates  a  farm,  and  Doctor  Roblee,  prac- 
ticing physician  in  Lockport  and  Joliet. 

James  M.  Smith,  B.  A.,  M.  A.,  a  graduate  of  the  University 
of  Chicago,  is  superintendent  of  the  high  school.  He  came  to 
Lockport  from  Harvey  in  1925.  Mr.  Smith  served  in  France 
during  the  World  War. 

Manhattan  Township. — The  Township  of  Manhattan  was 
known  as  Trenton.  When  Will  County  adopted  township  or- 
ganization, what  are  known  as  Green  Garden  and  Manhattan 
were  in  one,  known  as  Trenton.  In  1858,  the  population  had 
increased  sufficiently  so  that  the  township  was  separated  and 
named  Manhattan. 

The  first  settler  in  Manhattan  Township  was  Orin  Stevens, 
but  of  him  little  can  now  be  learned  further  than  that  he  had 
made  a  settlement  at  Five-Mile  Grove.  He  was  keeping  a  sort 
of  tavern  there  when  the  next  settlers  came  in,  in  1834.  The 
Perkinses  were  the  next  to  settle  after  Stevens,  and  consisted 
of  Ephraim  Perkins  and  four  sons,  viz.,  Orin,  Edward,  Eph- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  297 

raim  and  Pliny  Perkins.  They  were  from  Trenton,  New  York, 
and  Edward  came  out  in  June,  1834,  and  bought  out  the  man 
Stevens.  Where  Stevens  was  from,  when  he  settled  at  Five- 
Mile  Grove  or  what  became  of  him  after  he  sold  out,  are  items 
of  the  township  history  lost  in  the  things  of  the  past.  Edward 
Perkins  was  a  single  man  when  he  first  came  to  the  settlement, 
but  returned  to  New  York  in  the  fall  and  married,  and  brought 
his  young  wife  to  the  West.  Jerrod  Gage  came  about  this  time, 
and  he  and  Perkins  entered  into  partnership  in  the  dairy  busi- 
ness at  Five-Mile  Grove.  The  next  spring  (1835),  Perkins' 
father  and  brothers  came  out,  and  also  Gage's  father  and  his 
family.  The  elder  Gage  had  been  an  extensive  dairyman  in 
"York  State,"  and  being  an  ardent  admirer  of  Henry  Clay, 
the  "Sage  of  Ashland"  and  renowned  Kentucky  statesman, 
once  made  him  a  mammoth  cheese,  and  presented  it  to  him 
during  one  of  his  campaigns. 

Hiram  Harvey  also  settled  at  Five-Mile  Grove,  about  1835 
or  1836,  and  was  from  the  East,  but  what  particular  state  we 
were  unable  to  learn,  nor  do  we  know  what  became  of  him. 
These  few  settlements  around  Five-Mile  Grove  seem  to  have 
been  all  that  were  made  in  the  township  until  a  quite  recent 
date,  as  compared  to  other  portions  of  the  county.  As  this 
little  grove  was  the  only  timber  in  the  town,  and  it  required 
a  score  or  two  of  years  for  the  people  to  find  out  that  the 
prairies  were  habitable,  probably  accounts  for  the  long  gap 
that  occurred  just  here  in  the  arrival  of  newcomers  to  this 
section,  as  the  next  we  find  coming  in  about  1847  and  1850  and 
which  we  will  not  notice. 

John  Young  came  from  New  York  City  in  1849,  and  settled 
in  this  township,  where  he  remained  until  1876,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Joliet. 

Freeman  Gay  came  from  the  bleak  shores  of  the  Pine  Tree 
State,  about  1847  or  1848,  and  settled  in  this  neighborhood, 
where  he  remained  a  number  of  years,  and  finally  removed 


298  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

into  Jackson  Township.  From  Jackson  he  moved  to  California 
where  his  descendants  live  now. 

William  Nelson,  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  town  in  the  early 
days  came  here  from  Trenton,  New  York,  but  was  an  English- 
man by  birth.  He  settled  in  this  section  in  1848,  and  gave  the 
town  the  name  of  Trenton,  when  it  and  Greengarden  were 
known  as  one  township,  as  noticed  in  the  beginning  of  this 
account.  He  sold  out,  some  years  ago,  and  removed  into  Jack- 
son Township.  William  and  Charles  Bissett  were  from  Bonny 
Scotland,  and  came  to  the  settlement  in  1848.  Charles  died 
in  a  short  time  after  their  settlement  here.  William  went  to 
California  during  the  gold  excitement  of  1849  and  1850,  where 
he  still  lived  the  last  known  of  him.  A  man  named  Borders 
settled  here  in  1849.  He  was  from  Ohio,  and  did  not  remain 
long  in  the  settlement.  What  became  of  him  no  one  knows  or 
seems  to  care. 

Clarke  Baker  came  from  New  York,  and  bought  land  here 
in  1847,  but  did  not  settle  on  it  until  1850. 

This  comprises  a  number  of  the  first  settlers  of  Manhattan 
Township  up  to  a  period  when  the  tide  of  immigration  poured 
in  with  a  rapidity  defying  the  power  of  the  historian  to  keep 
pace  with  names  and  dates.  When  township  organization  went 
into  effect,  in  1850,  there  were  but  ten  legal  voters  in  the  terri- 
tory now  comprised  in  Manhattan  Township,  and,  as  already 
stated,  was  not  sufficient  to  form  a  township  of  itself,  but  was, 
with  Greengarden,  known  as  Trenton  Township,  and  so  re- 
mained until  1853,  when  they  were  separated  and  organized 
under  their  present  names.  William  Nelson  was  the  first  sup- 
ercisor  of  Trenton  Township,  and  held  the  office  in  1850;  was 
succeeded  by  M.  Bailey,  who  served  during  1851  and  1852,  when 
the  towns  were  divided,  and  John  Young  elected  supervisor  of 
Manhattan  for  1853.  Clarke  Baker  was  elected  in  1854,  and 
held  it  for  two  years,  when  Mr.  Young  was  reelected,  and  held 
the  office  from  1856  to  1860,  inclusive.    In  1861,  Clarke  Baker 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  299 

was  again  elected  and  also  in  1862,  and  in  1863,  was  succeeded 
by  G.  A.  Buck,  who  served  until  1865,  when  J.  E.  Baker  was 
elected,  serving  from  1865  to  1869,  inclusive.  G.  A.  Buck  was 
then  reelected,  and  served  1870-72,  and  was  succeeded  by  S. 
Robinson,  in  1873-74,  When  Clarke  Baker  was  again  elected, 
and  held  the  office  for  four  years.  Other  township  officers  were 
Clarke  Baker  and  Hiram  Olney,  justices  of  the  peace;  Hiram 
Olney,  town  clerk;  Michael  Haley,  constable,  and  George  A. 
Buck,  school  treasurer. 

The  first  church  structure  ever  erected  in  Manhattan  Town- 
ship was  the  Episcopal  Church,  built  in  1857,  under  the  minis- 
terial charge  of  Rev.  Clinton  Locke,  who  at  the  time  was  rec- 
tor of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Joliet,  and  now  of  Grace  Church, 
Chicago,  and  whom  we  noticed  as  officiating  in  the  reception  of 
President  Hayes  in  his  visit  to  Chicago.  The  first  schoolhouse 
was  built  in  1852,  and  in  it  was  taught  the  first  school  in  the 
township.  For  as  before  stated,  there  were  but  few  children 
in  the  settlement  for  several  years,  and  consequently  not  much 
need  felt  for  schoolhouses.  In  1872,  a  little  more  than  a  score 
of  years  after  the  second  era  of  immigration  set  in,  we  find 
the  town  contained  eight  school  districts  and  eight  good,  sub- 
stantial schoolhouses.  There  were  415  pupils  enrolled  and  13 
teachers  employed;  the  district  tax  levy  for  the  support  of 
schools  was  $1,135.22,  and  $1,422.35  the  amount  paid  to  teachers. 

Manhattan  Township  has  prospered  from  the  very  first 
settlement  and  at  this  time  contains  many  prosperous  farmers 
who  devote  themselves  almost  exclusively  to  grain  farming. 
They  can  do  this  to  advantage  because  the  soil  is  naturally  very 
fertile  and  because  it  has  been  cultivated  a  shorter  period  of 
time  than  many  other  townships.  In  the  north  part  of  the 
township,  dairying  has  been  begun  with  success.  The  John 
Baker  farm  now  owned  by  Dr.  Shreffler  of  Joliet  has  perhaps 
the  best  Guernsey  herd  in  Will  County.  Across  the  road  from 
this  farm  is  another  large  dairy  farm  operated  by  Mr.  Holder- 


300  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

man.  He  has  a  barn  built  within  the  past  year  which  is  the 
best  dairy  barn  in  Will  County.  It  is  the  largest  and  best 
equipped  building  of  its  kind  in  the  entire  township. 

The  concrete  road,  Route  22  of  the  Illinois  State  Highway 
system  connecting  Joliet  and  Kankakee  passes  through  Man- 
hattan. A  bus  line  is  operated  over  this  highway  making  four 
trips  a  day.  These  buses  afford  good  connection  with  Joliet 
as  well  as  Kankakee.  Strange  to  say  this  concrete  road  has  not 
detracted  very  much  from  the  business  of  the  City  of  Manhat- 
tan. It  is  a  large  grain  center  with  four  elevators.  Two  of 
them  owned  and  operated  by  the  Manhattan  Farmers'  Grain 
Company  and  two  owned  and  operated  by  the  Baker,  Jones, 
and  Company.  Both  firms  do  an  extensive  business  through- 
out the  year,  buying  grain  and  selling  supplies  to  the  farmers. 
There  are  four  garages  and  like  all  automobile  businesses  all 
of  them  are  prosperous.  One  is  operated  by  Cunningham  and 
Brown  who  handle  Fords  mostly.  Another  is  operated  by  R. 
W.  Cockle.  Another  is  operated  by  Timm  Brothers  who  have 
an  extensive  truck  business  in  connection  with  the  garage. 
Another  is  operated  by  Alva  Weber  who  handles  Hudson-Essex 
cars.  The  town  still  has  a  blacksmith  shop  owned  and  operated 
by  Edward  Hutchinson.  Mr.  Hutchinson  is  a  real  blacksmith 
and  is  prepared  to  do  any  work  in  his  line.  There  are  four 
grocery  stores.  Perhaps  this  is  two  too  many  because  they  are 
not  as  prosperous  as  they  might  be.  There  are  two  hardware 
stores — Schroeder's  Cash  Store  and  the  Consumer's  Hardware 
and  Supply  Company.  August  Tennyson  maintains  a  modern 
drug  store  fully  equipped  in  every  detail.  There  are  two  banks 
— Manhattan  State  Bank  and  The  First  National  Bank.  If 
banks  are  any  index  to  business,  Manhattan  must  be  a  success- 
ful business  town  because  both  of  these  banks  are  prosperous. 
There  are  two  doctors — Dr.  G.  H.  Brannon  and  Dr.  Pederson. 
Dr.  R.  0.  Duguid  looks  after  their  teeth. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  301 

The  school  is  a  two-story  brick  structure  with  four  teach- 
ers in  the  grades,  and  two  in  the  high  school.  In  the  high 
school  they  teach  the  first  two  years  leaving  the  third  and 
fourth  year  for  a  larger  institution.  Most  of  the  graduates  of 
the  Manhattan  High  School  come  to  the  Joliet  Township  High 
School  to  finish  up  their  credits.  The  Catholics  maintain  a 
splendid  church  edifice  which  has  a  large  number  of  families 
to  its  charge.  The  Evangelical  Association  maintains  a  small 
church.  The  Methodists  have  a  regular  pastor  and  the  Episco- 
palians have  services  semi-occasionally. 

The  community  maintains  a  good  spirit  of  cooperation. 
They  have  a  public  library ;  they  maintain  a  coliseum  for  com- 
munity gatherings  of  a  recreational  nature;  they  support  a 
good  picture  show  at  the  end  of  each  week. 

Monee  Township. — Among  the  number  who  emigrated  to 
this  county  soon  after  the  close  of  the  troubles  alluded  to,  were 
a  number  of  families  from  Ohio.  John  S.  Dilly,  John  M.  Chase, 
S.  W.  Cooper,  S.  W.  Gaines,  Nicholas  Young  and  Aaron  Bonell, 
were  the  original  and  first  settlers  of  Monee  Township,  and, 
like  all  early  emigrants  from  the  heavily  timbered  regions  of 
the  East,  sought  the  neighborhood  of  the  little  groves,  found 
here  and  there  throughout  this  part  of  the  state.  All  of  these 
men,  with  their  families,  settled  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Thorn  Grove.  A  notable  feature 
of  many  pioneer  settlements  is  the  rough  character  of  its  mem- 
bers. Many  early  settlers  have  been  people  who,  having  been 
reduced  in  means  and  character  in  their  original  dwelling- 
places,  have  fled  to  a  strange  and  new  country,  in  the  hope  of 
recuperating  their  fortunes,  and  either  to  run  away  from  their 
characters  or  reform  their  doubtful  habits.  Then,  too,  in  a  new 
country,  the  restraining  influences  of  church  society,  added 
to  which  may  be  counted  that  of  the  law,  are  much  less  felt 


302  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

than  the  older  settled  sections.  But  this  settlement  seems  to 
have  been  a  notable  exception  to  the  rule,  every  man  of  the 
primary  settlement  proving  himself  worthy  of  the  name  of  a 
"good  citizen."  Indeed,  one  of  the  number  bore  the  title  of 
Parson,  and  as  such  ministered  to  the  people  in  things  spiritual, 
while  he  at  the  same  time  cultivated  the  soil. 

John  M.  Chase  is  credited  with  building  the  first  house  in 
the  township.  Chase  was  a  well-to-do  farmer,  and  a  man  who 
enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  neighbors,  as  witnessed  by  his 
election  to  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  several  other 
honors  conferred  upon  him.  Howover,  he  did  not  remain  here 
long  enough  to  merit  the  title  of  permanent  resident,  but  sold 
out  his  improvements  after  a  few  years'  residence  and  re- 
turned to  Ohio. 

In  1834,  William  Hollis  Newton  came  from  the  State  of 
New  York. 

Otis  Phillips  was  also  from  New  York,  but  came  a  year 
after  Newton.  He  lived  here  several  years  and  then  removed 
to  Wisconsin,  where  he  has  since  died.  He  is,  without  doubt, 
entitled  to  the  honor  of  being  the  pioneer  educator,  as  he  taught 
the  first  school  established  in  this  part  of  the  grove.  J.  E. 
Phillips,  later  residing  near  the  village  of  Monee,  came  from 
New  York  the  next  year — 1836 — and  settled  at  Thorn  Grove. 
He  was  a  farmer,  in  moderate  circumstances,  but  spent  much 
of  his  time  in  hunting.  Indeed,  we  may  well  believe  that  many 
of  the  early  residents  were  wont  to  obtain  a  subsistence  from 
the  use  of  the  rifle. 

Thorn  Grove,  in  the  time  of  which  we  write,  abounded  with 
game  of  different  kinds,  and  the  tables  of  the  early  settlers  were 
generously  spread  with  meats  that  are  now  rare,  and  are  only 
eaten  as  a  luxury.  And  yet,  while  thus  well  supplied  with 
venison,  turkey,  wild  chickens  and  ducks,  many  articles  of 
food,  now  common,  were  almost  entirely  dispensed  with.  Tea, 
coffee,  most  spices  and  sugar  were  obtainable  at  greater  ex- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  303 

pense  than  many  of  them  could  afford,  and  home-prepared  sub- 
stitutes took  their  places.  Rye  coffee,  sassafras  tea,  and  corn 
bread  instead  of  wheaten,  with  mush  and  milk,  constituted 
their  fare.  In  the  matter  of  clothing  and  furniture,  their  al- 
lowance and  quality  were  still  more  primitive.  Silks  and  broad- 
cloths, furs  and  kids,  were  reserved  for  a  later  generation. 
There  were  no  fine  carpets  on  their  puncheon  floors,  no  ex- 
pensive pictures  on  the  walls  or  tapestry  at  the  windows.  Such 
luxuries  were  neither  obtainable  nor  desired.  The  little  mar- 
keting that  was  done  required  long  journeys  to  the  nearest 
stores;  and  goods  of  every  kind,  owing  to  slow  and  expensive 
transportation,  were  very  dear. 

The  houses  of  the  pioners  were  not  stately  or  imposing 
structures,  such  as  have  more  recently  taken  their  places.  A 
one-story,  one-roomed  log  cabin  was  about  the  most  stylish 
house  in  the  neighborhood.  In  the  construction  of  the  first 
houses,  there  was  not  used  a  sawed  board  in  the  whole  build- 
ing, and,  in  some,  not  a  single  piece  of  iron — not  even  a  nail. 
Wooden  hinges  and  latches  (with  the  string  out)  for  doors, 
puncheons  for  floors,  clapboards  for  roofs,  and  wooden  pegs, 
on  which  to  hang  clothing,  were  some  of  the  makeshifts  to 
which  they  were  obliged  to  resort. 

The  year  1837  was  one  of  the  worst  in  the  financial  history 
of  the  country,  and  especially  of  Illinois,  that  ever  occurred;  and 
for  a  time  emigration  to  these  parts  was,  in  a  measure,  checked. 
Occasionally  a  new  settler  made  his  appearance.  Guided,  some 
by  letters  and  others,  as  it  were,  by  instinct,  they  dropped  in 
from  time  to  time,  but  not  for  several  years  after  the  earliest 
date  mentioned  did  the  township  settle  rapidly.  At  first,  all 
the  settlements  were  made  in  the  edges  of  the  timber,  but  when 
all  of  the  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  wooded  portions  had  been 
occupied,  shanties  here  and  there  on  the  prairie  began  to  ap- 
pear. By  the  year  1850,  seventeen  years  after  the  first  settler 
made  his  appearance,  the  following  additional  residents  are 


304  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

noted:  John  S.  Holland,  Stephen,  Jacob  and  James  Goodenow; 
George,  Emerson  and  Minet  E.  Baker;  A.  J.  Smith,  Eugene 
Lashley,  August  Klien  and  Simeon  Abbott.  Of  these,  some  are 
dead,  some  have  removed  further  west  or  returned  to  their 
native  states,  and  some  are  still  residents  of  the  township. 

Stephen  Goodenow  and  brothers  (Jacob  and  James)  were 
from  the  several  states  of  Michigan,  Pennsylvania  and  Indiana, 
and  came  to  this  part  of  the  country  about  1845.  George  and 
Franklin  Goodenow,  relatives  of  the  above,  settled  in  the  ad- 
joining township,  the  former  of  whom  is  proprietor  of  the  town 
of  Goodenow,  on  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad. 

As  before  intimated,  the  first  land  occupied  was  that  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Thorn  Grove. 
In  1854,  however,  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  was  completed, 
and  a  station  being  established  in  the  western  part,  on  that 
line  of  road,  improvements  began  to  be  made  in  that  neighbor- 
hood. Since  that  date,  the  west  side  of  the  township  has  taken 
the  lead  in  population.  By  an  act  of  Congress,  each  alternate 
section  of  land  in  this  and  other  township  through  which  this 
railroad  passes  (excepting  lands  already  entered,  the  school 
section  and  the  "reservation")  was  transferred  to  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  Company  to  assist  in  building  the  road.  In 
transferring  the  land  to  the  company,  the  price  of  the  remain- 
ing Government  land  was  raised  to  $2.50  per  acre,  being  double 
its  former  price,  and  at  that  price  nearly  one-third  of  the  land 
was  purchased  by  settlers.  The  lands  occupied  by  settlers 
prior  to  the  road  was  bought  at  $1.25  per  acre,  and  that  from 
the  Railroad  Company  from  $2.50  to  $10.00,  according  to  loca- 
tion and  date  of  purchase.  The  Indian  reservation,  sometimes 
called  Coon  Grove,  consisted  of  about  three-fourths  of  Sections 
28,  29,  32  and  33.  This  land  had  been  deeded  by  treaty  to  a 
small  family  or  tribe  of  Indians,  and  by  them  was  held  until 
a  comparatively  recent  date,  when  it  was  put  upon  the  market 
by  their  agent,  Henry  M.  Ward,  and  sold  to  different  parties 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  305 

who  now  occupy  it.  The  ancient  aborigines,  to  whom  the  land 
belonged,  had  long  since  removed  from  this  part  of  the  country. 

As  before  intimated,  the  first  school  was  taught  at  the 
"Grove"  by  Otis  Phillips.  Like  the  township  records,  the  school 
records  of  the  township  have  been  lost,  and  nothing  positive 
can  be  stated  in  regard  to  this  school  except  that  it  was  in  a 
little  cabin  owned  by  Mr.  Phillips,  the  teacher.  The  date  was, 
no  doubt,  about  1836.  All  schools  in  the  State  of  Illinois  at 
that  date  were  supported  by  private  means,  and  of  course,  this 
was  a  subscription  school.  It  is  further  remembered  that  Mr. 
Phillips  was  not  only  a  good  teacher,  but  a  good  man  and  well 
worthy  of  the  title  of  "pioneer  schoolmaster." 

The  year  1853  was  an  eventful  one  for  this  section  of  the 
state,  which  had,  prior  to  that  time,  been  without  commercial 
privileges,  except  as  carried  on  by  means  of  wagons  with  Chi- 
cago. The  enterprise  of  building  a  railroad  through  this  part 
of  the  state  had  long  been  talked  of,  and  some  legislation  had 
resulted  therefrom;  though  but  few  realized  the  importance 
of  the  scheme  until  the  road  was  completed. 

The  village  of  Monee  was  laid  out  by  Henry  M.  Ward,  for 
August  Herbert,  in  1853.  August  Herbert  was  in  the  Mexi- 
can war,  and  being  honorably  discharged  at  the  close,  he  was 
given  a  warrant  entitling  him  to  160  acres  of  the  unoccupied 
Government  land,  wherever  he  might  choose  to  locate.  So,  in 
1849,  he  found  his  way  to  this  township,  and  located  the  south- 
east quarter  of  Section  21.  When  the  railroad  was  located 
though  it  did  not  run  through  Herbert's  land,  it  ran  so  close 
that  his  land  became  available  as  a  part  of  the  town  site.  He 
therefore  sold  to  the  railroad  company  forty  acres;  and  this, 
together  with  what  Herbert  laid  out,  embraces  the  principal 
part  of  the  village.  In  1853,  Herbert  built  the  first  house  in 
the  village.  He  also  built  in  partnership  with  others  a  ware- 
house ;  built  a  storehouse  and  opened  a  general  store,  in  which 
he  continued  until  about  two  years  ago,  when  he  removed  to 

20— VOL.  1 


306  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Grant  Park.  Though  Herbert  erected  the  first  building  (later 
a  portion  of  Kettering's  Hotel),  a  house  had  been  brought  by 
Simeon  Abbott,  from  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  which 
was  used  by  the  employes  of  the  railroad  company  as  a  lodg- 
ing-house. This  house  occupied  one  of  the  most  prominent  cor- 
ners in  the  village,  and  was  used  by  Messrs.  Sonneborn  &  Son 
for  a  tailoring  establishment.  Mr.  Abbott  lived  in  the  house 
for  a  time,  and  then  removed  to  Iowa,  where  his  descendants 
still  live.  The  first  store  building  was  erected  in  1853,  by  0. 
B.  Dutton,  the  same  later  being  in  use  by  August  Schiffer. 
Among  the  other  early  residents  of  the  village  were  Adam  Vat- 
ter,  Bronson  Wiley  and  Theodore  Wernigk.  Of  these,  Vatter 
was  a  carpenter,  who  gave  most  of  his  attention  to  the  erection 
of  churches;  and  nearly  all  of  the  German  churches  in  this, 
Greengarde,  Peotone  and  Crete  Townships  are  works  of  his. 

Wiley  was  the  first  blacksmith,  and  Wernigk  was  the  first 
physician.  Laban  Easterbrooks  is  also  one  of  the  oldest  res- 
idents, having  resided  in  the  village  for  twenty-one  years. 
"  'Squire  Brooks,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  was  a  native 
of  Rhode  Island,  and  always  enjoyed  the  friendship  and  busi- 
ness relations  of  Gen.  Burnside,  of  that  State.  Mr.  Easter- 
brooks was  a  carpenter,  and  Burnside  was  cashier  of  the 
Land  Department  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad;  and, 
through  that  relation,  came  to  possess  large  tracts  of  land  in 
the  township  of  Greengarden.  The  General,  having  been 
acquainted  with  the  'Squire,  and  wishing  some  improvements 
made  on  his  land,  employed  him  to  look  after  his  estate — have 
it  fenced  and  build  houses  on  the  same. 

The  post  office  was  established  here  in  1853,  with  0.  B.  Dut- 
ton as  Postmaster. 

Monee  Township  together  with  the  village  of  Monee  have 
prospered  from  the  first  and  at  this  writing  there  is  no  indica- 
tion of  any  decay.  The  township  lies  on  both  sides  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  which  crosses  it  from  northeast  to 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  307 

southwest.  This  railroad  is  perhaps  the  most  prosperous  of 
any  in  the  United  States.  This  prosperity  is  attributable  to 
the  Panama  Canal  which  has  shifted  transportation  from  an 
easterly  and  westerly  direction  to  a  northerly  and  southerly 
direction.  One  indication  of  the  success  of  this  railroad  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  in  the  year  1924  and  1925  they  expended 
one  and  one-half  million  dollars  in  Will  County  alone. 

The  farm  land  of  Monee  Township  is  inferior  to  that  of 
the  township  east  and  wrest  of  it.  The  village  of  Monee  is 
the  highest  point  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  This  indi- 
cates an  elevation  which  exceeds  that  of  the  surrounding  areas. 
The  soil  is  heavy  clay  loam  which  holds  the  moisture  in  the 
Spring  longer  than  most  soil  and  retards  the  planting  of  the 
crops.  This  late  planting  together  with  the  nature  of  the  soil 
sometimes  hinders  raising  a  good  crop.  The  extreme  western 
edge  as  well  as  the  extreme  eastern  edge  have  more  black  soil 
and  get  better  results.  Dairying  is  now  the  chief  industry  with 
the  farmers.  They  find  a  ready  market  at  their  gates  because 
trucks  gather  up  their  products  each  day  for  the  Chicago  mar- 
ket. 

The  village  of  Monee  contains  four  stores  dealing  in  general 
merchandise.  Three  of  these  are  owned  and  operated  by  men 
whose  families  are  as  old  as  the  town  itself.  These  three  are: 
Sonneborn  Brothers,  August  Plagge,  and  George  S.  Miller. 
The  fourth  one  is  a  newcomer  in  the  village  but  not  in  the 
township.  This  is  Romeo  Illgen.  Two  hardware  stores  are 
founded  in  the  village,  F.  D.  Homan  and  R.  Merker.  John  Con- 
rad sells  farm  implements  far  and  wide  and  Emery  Woeltje 
runs  a  garage.  The  Monee  Grain  and  Lumber  Company  is  a 
prosperous  firm  doing  a  large  business. 

The  prosperity  of  the  town  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
they  have  two  prosperous  banks.  The  Eastern  Will  County 
State  Bank  and  the  Mokena  State  Bank. 


308  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  Chicago  and  Interurban  Traction  Company  maintain 
a  line  from  Blue  Island  through  Harvey,  Chicago  Heights,  Ste- 
ger,  Crete,  Monee,  Peotone,  and  on  to  Kankakee.  This  com- 
pany struggled  along  until  1927  when  the  road  was  sold  for 
junk,  pulled  up  and  hauled  away.  Thus  it  is  that  the  onward 
march  of  inventions  spoils  the  best  laid  plans  of  men. 

This  year  a  concrete  road  forty  feet  wide  is  under  con- 
struction, parallel  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  The  plans 
are  to  complete  it  this  year  (1928).  The  width  of  the  road 
indicates  the  faith  of  the  State  Engineers  who  believe  that  it 
will  become  the  most  used  highway  north  and  south.  The 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  maintains  an  electric  suburban  ser- 
vice as  far  as  Ritchey.  Monee  and  Peotone  hope  to  have  it 
soon.  This  suburban  service  together  with  the  concrete  road 
should  mean  rapid  growth  for  this  town. 

Dr.  C.  0.  Sullivan  takes  care  of  the  health  of  the  people. 
Rev.  A.  B.  Gaebe  looks  after  their  spiritual  welfare  in  the 
Evangelical  Church  which  is  a  splendid  edifice  with  a  large 
congregation.    Rev.  Gaebe  serves  them  unusually  well. 

The  school  is  a  four  room  building  of  brick  built  twenty- 
five  years  ago.  It  has  modern  conveniences  and  the  pupils  are 
well  cared  for.  Three  teachers  look  after  the  grades  and  one 
teacher  looks  after  the  two  year  high  school  which  has  about 
twenty-five  students.  These  high  school  students  finish  the 
four  year  course  at  Harvey,  or  at  Chicago  Heights,  or  at  Kan- 
kakee. Mr.  J.  D.  Knater  is  Principal.  Mrs.  Knater  teaches 
the  high  school  and  the  Misses  Lehmann  look  after  the  lower 
grades. 

New  Lenox  Township.— The  name  New  Lenox  was  taken 
from  Lenox,  New  York.  The  first  supervisor  under  township 
organization  was  J.  Van  Dusen,  and  came  from  Lenox,  New 
York,  and  when  asked  to  name  his  township  by  the  county  com- 
missioners, gave  to  it  the  name  of  his  native  town.    Previous 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  309 

to  that  it  was  known  as  Van  Home's  Point,  from  a  point  of 
timber  near  the  center  of  the  town,  and  at  a  still  earlier  date 
it  went  by  the  name  of  Hickory  Creek  Settlement.  Maple 
Street  is  a  road  running  through  the  north  part  of  the  town 
from  east  and  west,  and  was  so  named  because  the  first  settlers 
planted  maple  trees  along  the  road. 

In  New  Lenox  Township  was  embraced  the  larger  portion 
of  what,  in  the  early  times,  was  termed  the  Hickory  Creek  Set- 
tlement— a  neighborhood  celebrated  for  its  hospitality. 

New  Lenox  is  known  as  Township  35  north,  Range  11  east 
of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian  and  is  well  drained  and 
watered  by  Hickory  Creek  and  its  North  Fork.  These  streams, 
at  the  time  of  early  settlement,  were  lined  with  fine  forests, 
much  of  the  timber  of  which  has  since  been  cut  away.  Per- 
haps one-fourth  of  the  town  was  timbered,  while  the  remainder 
is  prairie,  much  of  it  rolling,  while  some  of  it  is  so  uneven  as 
to  be  termed  knolly.  It  is  intersected  by  the  Chicago,  Rock 
Island  &  Pacific  Railroad,  and  the  Joliet  Cut-off  of  the  Michigan 
Central,  the  history  of  which  is  given  in  another  department 
of  this  work.  The  township  is  devoted  almost  entirely  to  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising.  Corn  and  oats  are  the  principal  crops 
and  are  grown  in  abundance,  while  much  attention  is  devoted 
to  raising  and  feeding  stock,  of  which  large  quantities  are 
shipped  from  this  section  annually.  Taken  altogether,  New 
Lenox  is  one  of  the  wealthy  towns  of  Will  County.  Its  popula- 
tion, in  1870,  was  about  1,120  inhabitants. 

The  first  whites  to  erect  cabins  in  the  Hickory  Creek  tim- 
ber, were,  probably,  two  men  named,  respectively,  Joseph 
Brown  and  Aaron  Friend,  but  of  them  very  little  is  known. 
They  were  here  as  early  as  1829,  and  Friend  was  a  kind  of  In- 
dian trader.  He  always  had  a  rather  rough  set  of  French  half- 
breeds  and  Indians  around  him,  and  when  the  latter  moved 
West  to  grow  up  with  the  country,  he  followed  them.  Chi- 
cagoans  used  to  come  down,  and  they  would  get  up  a  ball  at 


310  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Friend's;  and  once  upon  a  time,  some  young  fellows  from  Chi- 
cago had  their  horses'  tails  shaved  there.  He  went  to  Iowa 
after  the  retreating  Indians,  and  died  there,  when  his  wife 
came  back  to  Illinois,  and  went  to  live  with  her  daughter,  on 
what  was  then  called  Horse  Creek.  Of  Brown,  still  less  is 
known  beyond  the  fact  that  he  died  here  in  the  Fall  of  1830. 
In  1830,  the  summer  and  fall  preceding  the  deep  snow,  several 
newcomers  settled  on  Hickory  Creek.  Of  these,  perhaps  the 
Rices  were  the  first,  and  came  early  in  1830.  They  were  from 
Indiana,  and  consisted  of  William  Rice,  Sr.,  his  son  William, 
and  their  families.  They  laid  claim  to  the  place  where  William 
Gougar  afterward  settled.  They  built  a  log  cabin  on  this  place 
and  had  broken  five  acres  of  prairie,  when  John  Gougar  came 
on  in  the  fall  of  1830  and  bought  them  out.  After  selling  out 
to  Gougar,  they  made  a  claim  where  the  village  of  New  Lenox 
now  stands,  put  up  a  shanty,  and,  after  a  few  years,  moved 
out  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Town  of  Crete.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1830,  John  Gougar  came  from  Indiana  and,  as  stated 
above,  bought  Rice's  claim.  A  man  named  Gro'ver  had  been 
hired  by  the  elder  Gougar  to  come  out  with  his  son  and  assist 
in  preparing  quarters  for  the  family,  who  moved  out  the  next 
June.  William  Gougar,  Jr.,  another  son  lived  within  a  mile 
of  the  village  of  New  Lenox.  He  went  to  California  during  the 
gold  fever  of  1849-50,  and  remained  about  three  years  and  a 
half,  during  which  time  he  did  reasonably  well  in  the  land  of 
gold. 

Lewis  Kercheval  came  from  Ohio  and  settled  in  this  town- 
ship, arriving  on  the  19th  day  of  October,  1830.  His  wagon 
was  the  second  that  crossed  the  prairies  south  of  this  section 
of  the  country.  In  his  trip  to  the  new  country,  in  which  he 
designed  making  his  future  home,  he  had  no  way-marks  across 
the  trackless  prairies  but  his  own  natural  judgment  as  to  the 
direction  of  this  promised  land.  The  compass,  then  unknown, 
except  to  a  favored  few,  he  did  not  have,  and  thus  was  forced 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  311 

much  of  the  time  to  travel  by  guess.  Upon  his  arrival  here, 
he  erected  a  tent  in  which  to  shelter  his  family  until  he  could 
build  a  house,  or  cabin,  as  the  habitations  of  the  early  settlers 
were  usually  called.  This  tent  was  simply  four  posts  driven  in 
the  ground,  with  slabs  or  puncheons  laid  across  for  a  covering, 
and  quilts  hung  around  the  sides.  He  cut  logs  in  a  short  time, 
and  raised  a  cabin  when  his  wife  and  daughters,  who  were 
anxious  for  a  more  substantial  house  than  the  tent,  "pitched 
in"  and  assisted  the  husband  and  father  to  "chink  and  daub" 
this  primitive  palace.  Perhaps  it  did  not  deserve  the  name  of 
palace,  but  it  was  their  home  in  the  wilderness,  and  as  such, 
a  palace  to  them.  In  two  weeks  from  the  time  of  their  arrival, 
their  house  was  ready  and  they  moved  into  it.  His  first  winter 
in  the  settlement  was  that  of  the  "deep  snow,"  the  epoch  from 
which  the  few  survivors  who  remember  it,  date  all  important 
events.  During  the  time  this  great  fall  of  snow  remained  on 
the  ground,  and  which  was  four  feet  deep  on  a  level,  he  used 
to  cut  down  trees,  that  his  horses  and  cows  might  "browse" 
upon  the  tender  twigs.  With  little  else  to  feed  his  stock,  from 
sleek,  fat  animals  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  they  came  forth  in 
the  spring — those  that  survived  the  winter — nothing  but  "skin 
and  bones."  But  it  used  to  exhaust  his  wits  to  provide  food  for 
his  family  at  all  times  during  that  first  winter.  Once  they  ran 
out  of  meal,  and  though  he  had  sent  to  Chicago  for  a  barrel 
of  flour  (the  mode  of  communication  with  Chicago  not  then 
being  equal  to  what  it  is  at  the  present  day),  it  was  long  in 
coming;  and  before  its  arrival  the  larder  had  got  down  to  a 
few  biscuits,  laid  aside  for  the  smallest  children.  A  daughter 
said  her  father  declared  if  the  flour  did  not  come  he  would 
take  as  many  of  his  children  as  he  could  carry  on  his  back, 
and  attempt  to  make  the  settlements,  but  good  luck  or  Provi- 
dence was  on  his  side,  and  the  barrel  of  flour  came  before  they 
were  reduced  to  this  extremity. 


312  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Samuel  Russell  came  from  the  Nutmeg  State  among  the 
very  early  settlers,  and  bought  land  of  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  of 
Chicago.  He  settled  in  this  township  and  lived  here  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Judge  John  I.  Davidson  came  out  in  the  fall  of 
1830,  and  bought  Friend's  claim.  He  was  originally  from  New 
Jersey,  but  had  lived  some  time  in  Indiana,  and  after  purchas- 
ing the  claim  of  Friend,  returned  to  Indiana,  and  removed  his 
family  to  the  settlement  in  the  spring  of  1831.  He  had  two 
daughters,  one  of  whom  married  a  Mr.  Thompson,  who  resided 
in  the  township  until  his  death.  The  other  married  a  Mr.  H.  N. 
Higginbotham,  of  Field  &  Leiter's,  Chicago,  who  was  the  leader 
in  the  World's  Fair  of  1893,  and  a  millionaire  merchant.  His 
son  now  resides  on  the  old  homestead  (1928).  Joseph  Normal 
was  from  Indiana,  and  settled  here  in  1830,  before  John  Gou- 
gar  came  to  the  settlement.  He  eventually  returned  to  Indi- 
ana and  died  there  many  years  ago.  A  man  named  Emmett 
was  here  during  the  winter  of  1830-31,  but  where  he  came 
from,  we  do  not  know.  He  went  off  with  the  Mormon  Prophets 
and  Elders,  and  perhaps  became  one  of  their  number.  A  man 
of  the  name  of  Buck  also  spent  that  winter  here,  and  he,  too, 
turned  Mormon,  and  followed  the  elect  to  Nauvoo.  The  winter 
that  Buck  spent  in  this  settlement,  which  was  that  of  the  deep 
snow,  he  had  nothing  in  the  way  of  bread  during  the  entire 
winter  except  that  made  from  two  bushels  of  meal,  and  yet  he 
had  a  wife  and  three  children.  He  had  two  cows,  one  of  which 
he  killed  for  beef,  hung  her  to  the  limb  of  a  tree,  and  when 
he  wanted  meat,  would  take  an  ax  and  chop  off  a  piece  of  the 
frozen  cow.  John  Gougar  gave  him  half  a  bushel  of  corn,  which 
with  his  two  bushels  of  meal  and  cow,  was  all  that  he  is  known 
to  have  had  to  keep  his  family  during  the  winter.  Gougar 
once  found  him  during  the  spring  in  the  woods  gathering 
what  he  called  "greens,"  and  asked  him  if  he  was  not  afraid 
of  being  poisoned.  He  replied  that  one  would  act  as  an  anti- 
dote to  another.    John  Stitt  was  another  Indianian,  and  settled 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  313 

here  in  1831  or  1832.  He  moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  died  a 
few  years  ago,  Colonel  Sayre  settled  here  probably  about  1829, 
as  he  was  here  when  John  Gougar  came,  in  1830.  He  lived  alone, 
and  as  he  had  few  associations,  living  a  kind  of  hermit-life, 
little  was  known  about  him.  He  built  a  sawmill  near  where 
the  Red  Mills  now  stands  in  Joliet  Township,  though  he  lived 
in  New  Lenox  Township.  Mansfield  Wheeler,  who  settled  on 
Hickory  Creek  in  1833,  went  into  partnership  with  him  in  this 
mill.    This  mill  fell  into  disuse  in  1890. 

James  C.  Kercheval  was  a  son  of  Lewis  Kercheval,  men- 
tioned in  an  earlier  part  of  this  chapter.  Though  but  a  boy, 
he  took  part  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  until  the  settlers  were 
forced  to  flee  to  the  older  settlements  for  safety.  He  died  in 
1873. 

The  Francis  family,  so  closely  associated  with  the  early 
history  of  New  Lenox,  were  of  English  stock  which  migrated 
to  Ireland  in  1690  and  intermarried  with  Scotch  people  who 
had  come  into  northern  Ireland.  In  1815,  William  Francis  came 
to  Ohio,  Brown  County,  where  he  resided  with  his  family  until 
1831.  In  that  year  Abraham  Francis  married  and  moved  to 
New  Lenox  Township.  Taking  up  land  in  sections  9  and  16, 
much  of  which  is  still  owned  by  the  descendants,  grandsons 
and  granddaughters  of  Abraham  Francis. 

Four  sons,  Allen,  John,  Charles,  and  George  L.,  resided  on 
one  road  with  farms  joining.  Here  they  reared  their  families. 
Only  one,  George  L.  Francis,  remains  at  this  writing  (1928). 
He  is  a  leader  in  his  community,  a  farmer  who  uses  latest  and 
best  methods.  He  resides  on  the  farm  which  he  has  owned 
for  so  many  years. 

Henry  Watkins,  father  of  the  pioneer  school-teacher,  came 
from  New  York  and  settled  in  New  Lenox  Township  in  the  fall 
of  1831,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  about  fifteen  years  ago. 
Of  others  who  settled  on  Hickory  Creek  at  a  very  early  period, 
we  may  mention  Michael  and  Jared  Runyon,  Isaac  and  Samuel 


314  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Pence,  Joseph,  Alfred  and  James  Johnson,  and  Henry  Higgin- 
botham.  Higginbotham  bought  out  Colonel  Sayre  in  1834,  and 
the  sawmill  firm  before  alluded  to  became  Wheeler  &  Higgin- 
botham. The  Johnsons  settled  near  the  line  of  Yankee  Settle- 
ment, on  Spring  Creek.  The  Pences  and  Runyons  were  among 
the  very  early  settlers.  The  Pences  were  in  the  settlement 
before  the  Sac  war,  but  the  exact  date  of  their  coming  is  not 
remembered. 

As  stated  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  settlements  were 
made  on  Hickory  Creek  as  early  as  1829,  which  were  among 
the  first  made  in  Will  County,  perhaps  Plainfield,  or  Walker's 
Grove  having  a  little  the  precedence.  As  a  natural  consequence 
of  this  early  settlement,  births,  deaths,  and  marriages  occurred 
here  at  an  early  period.  The  death  of  Mr.  Brown,  mentioned 
as  one  of  the  first  settlers  on  the  creek,  who  died  in  the  fall 
of  1830,  was  the  first  death  in  this  township,  and  is  supposed 
to  be  the  first  person  who  died  in  Will  County.  The  first  white 
child  born  in  New  Lenox  Township,  and  perhaps  in  the  county, 
was  Elizabeth  Norman,  born  in  January,  1832,  and  Margaret 
Louisa  Cooper,  nee  Francis,  was  the  next  child  born  in  the 
township,  and  was  born  the  3d  of  January,  1834.  The  first 
practicing  physician  in  the  Hickory  Creek  Settlement  was  Dr. 
Bowen,  now  of  Wilmington,  and  the  first  preacher  was  Father 
Beggs,  or  Rev.  Mr.  Prentiss,  who  located  in  Joliet  in  an  early 
day.  We  are  informed  by  A.  Allen  Francis  who  derived  the  in- 
formation from  the  man  himself  that  Joseph  Shoemaker  was 
the  first  settler  in  what  now  comprises  Will  County,  probably 
arriving  in  the  spring  of  1828,  in  what  is  now  known  as  Reed's 
Grove,  in  the  township  of  Jackson.  We  have  it  from  Mr.  Fran- 
cis, also,  thatt  he  first  marriage  in  the  county  was  that  of  Jede- 
diah  Woolley,  Jr.,  of  Troy  Township,  to  Betsy  Watkins,  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  Watkins,  of  New  Lenox  Township,  January,  1832 ; 
and  that  Father  Walker  preached  the  first  sermon,  in  1832,  in 
the  fort  or  blockhouse,  and  Stephen  Beggs,  the  second. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  315 

The  first  mill  built  by  Joseph  Norman,  on  Hickory  Creek, 
about  1833  or  1834.  Colonel  Sayre's  mill  was  built  previously, 
but  was  just  over  in  Joliet  Township.  The  first  bridge  was 
built  across  Hickory  Creek,  near  John  Gougar's.  It  was  built 
of  logs,  and  was  a  rough  affair. 

The  Village  of  New  Lenox. — This  pretty  little  village  is  sit- 
uated on  the  banks  of  Hickory  Creek  and  on  the  Rock  Island 
&  Pacific  Railroad,  thirty-three  miles  from  Chicago,  and  about 
six  miles  from  Joliet.  It  is  surounded  by  a  beautiful  grove  of 
timber,  and  grand  old  forest-trees  shade  it  in  summer  and  pro- 
tect it  against  the  storms  of  winter.  The  village  of  New  Lenox 
was  laid  out  in  1858  by  George  Gaylord,  of  Lockport,  and  sur- 
veyed by  A.  J.  Mathewson,  county  surveyor.  The  village  is 
known  on  the  original  plat  by  the  name  of  Tracy,  and  was  given 
in  honor  of  the  general  superintendent  of  the  railroad  at  the 
time  of  the  laying-out  of  the  village.  But  with  a  modesty 
rarely  met  with  in  the  present  day,  he  shrank  from  such  no- 
toriety, and  at  his  urgent  request,  the  name  was  changed  to 
New  Lenox,  to  correspond  with  the  name  of  the  township.  A 
man  of  the  name  of  Robinson  built  the  first  residence  in  the 
village,  and  Van  Home  put  up  the  next  one.  Both  of  these 
were  built  before  the  village  was  laid  out. 

The  village  of  Spencer  is  situated  on  the  Cut-off  Division 
of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  about  nine  miles  from  Joliet, 
and  is  two  miles  from  New  Lenox  village.  It  was  surveyed  by 
A.  J.  Mathewson,  county  surveyor,  for  Frank  Goodspeed  and 
Albert  Mudge,  who  owned  the  land  on  which  it  is  located.  It 
was  laid  out  in  1856,  about  the  time  the  railroad  was  built 
through  this  section.  The  first  storehouse  erected  in  the  place 
was  the  one  occupied  by  Russel  Kennedy  in  1856,  the  same 
year  the  village  was  laid  out.  The  postoffice  was  established 
in  1857,  and  James  Holmes  was  appointed  postmaster.  The 
first  grain  elevator  was  built  in  1857  by  the  railroad  company, 


316  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and,  on  its  completion,  was  dedicated  by  a  rousing  ball,  in  which 
the  boys  and  girls  of  the  surrounding  country  participated  to 
their  entire  satisfaction.  In  1875,  H.  S.  Carpenter  built  an- 
other large  elevators,  and  this,  likewise,  was  similarly  dedicated. 

New  Lenox  Township  contains  one  village,  New  Lenox, 
which  is  almost  in  the  exact  center  of  the  township.  Three 
railroads  intersect  at  this  point,  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  & 
Pacific  Railroad,  the  Wabash  Railroad,  and  the  Elgin,  Joliet 
and  Eastern  Railroad.  This  grouping  of  railroads  would  in- 
dicate that  the  village  might  have  developed  more  rapidly  than 
it  did.  It  remained  stationary  up  to  1923  when  some  indica- 
tions of  growth  began.  The  facilities  for  getting  in  and  out 
of  Chicago  over  the  Rock  Island  road  induced  many  Chicago 
people  to  build  homes  there.  This  rapid  growth  continues  at 
the  present  time  and  following  the  electrification  of  the  Rock 
Island  road  commuters  have  become  more  common. 

The  following  people  operated  general  stores  in  the  village : 
Archie  Corp,  Charles  F.  Garman,  H.  H.  Sabin.  Grocery  stores 
are  maintained  by  George  Osmus,  and  George  C  Peterson. 
William  Moore  and  Son  operate  a  garage.  The  Garman  Broth- 
ers also  operate  an  oil  station  which  does  a  good  business.  The 
New  Lenox  State  Bank  was  organized  in  1927  and  began  busi- 
ness in  that  year  in  a  commodious  bank  building.  It  has  had 
a  prosperous  year.  Hacker  and  Company  established  a  lumber 
yard  during  the  summer  of  1928. 

New  Lenox  was  for  many  years  the  mecca  of  all  Methodists 
in  this  part  of  the  state  because  it  maintained  one  of  the  best 
camp  meetings  in  the  state.  The  coming  of  good  roads  and 
automobiles  together  with  the  rapid  spread  of  daily  papers 
through  rural  delivery  and  then  finally  the  coming  of  the  radio 
made  it  difficult  to  secure  attendance  at  the  camp  meetings. 
Four  years  ago  the  old-fashioned  camp  meeting  was  abandoned. 
Since  that  time  the  Methodist  organization  has  maintained  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  317 

Epworth  League  Institute  for  young  people.     This  institute 
is  doing  good  work  but  does  not  have  a  large  attendance. 

New  Lenox  has  always  maintained  good  school  facilities. 
A  new  building  is  just  being  completed  which  includes  three 
class  rooms  and  a  commodious  gymnasium.  The  people  are 
united  in  their  desire  for  good  schools  and  support  them 
heartily. 

Peotone  Township. — In  1850,  when  the  Township  of  Wilton 
was  formed,  Town  33,  Range  11  or  what  is  now  known  as  Peo- 
tone, contained  only  two  voters,  and  it  was,  therefore  necessary 
to  include  it  with  some  other  township,  and  as  Wilton  was  al- 
ready pretty  well  settled,  it  was  concluded  to  embrace  within 
its  limits  the  two  Congressional  towns.  It  was  not  until  1858 
that  the  voting  population  of  this  section  was  considered  suffi- 
ciently strong  for  separate  organization. 

During  a  period  embraced  between  the  years  1849  and  1858, 
about  twenty-five  families  came  to  the  township,  most  of  whom 
became  permanent  settlers.  Many  of  these,  however,  settled 
during  the  years  1855  to  1858.  The  most  of  the  earliest  settlers 
selected  the  little  streams  which  flows  through  the  township 
from  the  northeast  to  the  southwest,  and  is  a  branch  of  Forked 
Creek. 

In  1859,  when  some  settlements  had  been  already  made  in 
every  adjoining  township  except  Will,  this  locality  was  but  just 
beginning  to  come  into  notice.  The  first  actual  settlers  were 
Daniel  B.  Booth  and  James  Allen,  from  Massachusetts.  These 
two  men  made  the  first  improvements  in  the  township.  Both 
located  on  the  land  later  owned  by  Samuel  Goodspeed,  having 
entered  one-half  of  Sections  19  and  30,  through  which,  it  will 
be  noticed,  Forked  Creek  runs.  While  Booth  remained,  he  gave 
most  of  his  attention  to  butter-making.  It  had  not  become 
generally  understood  that  this  land  was  well  adapted  for  agri- 


318  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

cultural  purposes,  and  Booth's  idea  seems  to  have  been  that 
in  pasturage  was  its  principal  value;  and  when  he  found  his 
dairy  business  a  failure,  he  resolved  to  dispose  of  his  interest 
and  remove  to  a  more  congenial  clime.  From  here  he  removed 
to  Joliet,  in  1855,  and  from  thence  to  Texas,  where  he  has  since 
died.  Allen  seems  also  to  have  been  dissatisfied  with  the  coun- 
try, as  he  stayed  but  a  few  years,  and  returned  to  the  East. 

These  two  men  could  scarcely  be  deemed  permanent  settlers, 
and  are  hardly  deserving  of  that  credit.  The  year  1855  is,  in 
reality,  the  year  from  which  the  real  prosperity  and  substan- 
tial settlement  of  the  township  dates.  In  that  year,  Ralph 
Crawford,  Samuel  Goodspeed,  and  the  Cowing  brothers  came 
in  and  made  improvements  which  have  not  only  proved  sub- 
stantial, but  which  have  increased  in  number  and  value.  These 
men,  too,  have  stuck  to  the  township,  borne  its  burdens,  and 
shared  in  its  trials  and  all  of  its  enterprises. 

Crawford  had  really  been  in  the  township  the  year  before, 
had  bought  his  land,  done  some  breaking,  and  made  other  im- 
provements. 

John  C.  and  James  H.  Cowing  were  amongst  the  most  sub- 
stantial inhabitants  of  this  vicinity.  They  had  also  been  in  the 
state  some  years,  but  were  originally  from  New  Hampshire. 

P.  Armstrong,  now  of  Peotone,  came  with  Goodrich  as  a 
laborer,  and  entered  some  land,  but  gave  it  up  and  removed 
to  the  village.  The  next  year,  1856,  Arnold,  Tobias  and  Cor- 
nelius Fahs,  Moses  Wright,  Milton  Smith  and  James  F.  John- 
son made  their  advent.  The  Fahs  brothers  were  from  Mary- 
land, Wright  from  New  York,  and  Smith  and  Johnson  from 
Michigan. 

George  Reynolds  and  William  W.  Kelly  settled  here  in  1857, 
the  former  coming  from  New  York  and  the  latter  from  Boston. 
Both  Reynolds  and  Kelly  have  since  removed  to  Chicago.  The 
above,  with  Thomas  Lockey,  Smith  Shaw  and  William  P.  Benn, 
are  all  that  are  now  remembered,  who  became  permanent  resi- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  319 

dents  before  1858,  at  which  date  the  village  of  Peotone  com- 
menced to  grow.  From  that  date,  for  a  number  of  years,  the 
township  settled  rapidly.  Indeed,  at  that  date,  nearly  all  of 
the  land  not  held  by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  had  been  occu- 
pied by  actual  settlers  or  bought  by  speculators.  It  was  at 
that  date  that  a  move  was  made  looking  toward  the  separate 
organization  of  the  eastern  half  of  Wilton  Precinct  into  a  sep- 
arate township.  The  usual  formalities  of  signing  and  present- 
ing a  petition  to  the  county  board  having  been  observed,  and 
an  order  from  that  body  having  been  obtained,  the  first  annual 
township  meeting  was  appointed  for  April  6,  1858.  At  this 
meeting,  Samuel  Goodspeed  was  elected  moderator,  and  George 
Reynolds,  clerk  pro  tern.  The  oath  was  administered  to  the 
officers  in  charge  of  the  election  by  Richard  Constable,  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  of  Wilton.  The  result  of  the  ballot  was  the  elec- 
tion of  Moses  Wright,  supervisor;  George  Reynolds,  clerk; 
Moses  Wright,  assessor;  William  W.  Kelly,  collector;  James  H. 
Cowing,  overseer  of  the  poor;  Milton  Smith,  James  F.  Johnson 
and  John  C.  Cowing,  commissioners  of  highways;  Cornelius 
Fahs  and  Ralph  Crawford,  justices  of  the  peace;  and  James 
Fahs  and  James  H.  Cowing,  constables.  At  that  date  there 
were  in  the  township  25  voters. 

In  1858,  every  township  in  Will  County  had  established 
schools  except  Peotone.  This  was,  previous  to  that  date,  en- 
tirely destitute  of  schol  accommodations.  There  were  a  few 
children  sent  to  the  township  of  Wilton,  where  schools  had 
been  in  operation  for  eight  or  ten  years;  but  the  distance  was 
so  great  that  only  during  the  finest  weather  could  they  be 
made  available.  A  year  after  the  organization  of  the  town- 
ship, however,  a  movement  was  made  toward  putting  in  op- 
eration the  means  for  establishing  schools  in  the  midst  of  the 
settlements  within  the  bounds  of  the  Peotone  Township.  On 
the  28th  of  February,  1859,  the  voters  of  the  township  met  at 
the  house  of  J.  F.  Johnson  and  elected  Samuel  Goodspeed,  A.  H. 


320  HISTOPwY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Fahs  and  Tobias  Fahs,  school  trustees;  and  by  the  trustees, 
Ralph  Crawford  was  elected  treasurer,  which  office  he  held  for 
the  next  fourteen  years.  At  the  meeting  just  mentioned,  the 
trustees  divided  the  township  into  four  school  districts.  Two 
of  these,  the  one  in  the  Goodspeed  neighborhood,  and  the  other 
at  the  station,  which  was  then  attracting  settlers,  built  houses 
and  opened  school  the  same  year.  The  next  year,  the  Third, 
and  the  next,  the  Fourth  Districts  established  schools  and  built 
houses.  Both  of  the  first  schoolhouses  are  still  in  use — the  one 
for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected,  the  other,  with  some 
additions,  doing  duty  as  a  church.  By  1866,  the  number  of  dis- 
tricts were  increased  to  six,  and  in  all  except  one  were  school- 
buildings.  At  that  time,  which  was  seven  years  after  the  first 
steps  were  taken  to  establish  the  system  in  the  township,  there 
were  453  persons  under  21  years  of  age,  301  of  whom  were 
entitled  to  the  benefits  of  the  common-school  system,  being  be- 
tween the  ages  of  6  and  21  years.  Of  these,  248  were  reported 
as  having  attended  school  the  previous  year.  The  people  of  the 
township  were  at  that  time  making  up  for  lost  time,  246  per- 
sons out  of  301  being  a  large  proportion  for  a  newly-formed 
township.  Another  seven  years,  we  find,  increased  the  number 
of  schools  to  9,  and  the  number  of  enrolled  scholars  to  366,  out 
of  398,  entitled  to  school  privileges. 

The  Township  of  Peotone  did  not  receive  settlers  early.  It 
was  prairie  land  which  did  not  yield  readily  to  the  plows  which 
the  farmers  had  at  that  time.  Water  for  the  stock  as  well  as 
for  families'  use  was  not  easy  to  obtain.  Therefore  people 
were  slow  to  take  up  the  land.  However  at  this  time  the  town- 
ship is  one  of  the  leading  ones  in  the  county.  The  farm  land 
had  been  well  drained  where  it  was  necessary  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  drainage  districts  which  made  it  a  community  project. 
These  waterways  are  kept  in  good  condition  and  serve  their 
purpose  very  well.    Much  of  the  farming  is  given  over  to  the 


«k_ 


STREET  SCENE,  PEOTONE,  ILL. 


HIGH  SCHOOL,  PEOTONE,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  321 

raising  of  grain.  The  land  is  fertile  and  yields  good  crops. 
During  the  last  four  years  dairying  has  become  more  impor- 
tant because  the  trucks  gather  the  milk  and  thus  furnish  an 
easy  market.  Good  roads  are  coming  into  the  township  rapidly 
and  this  will  help  in  this  development. 

The  City  of  Peotone  is  the  most  prosperous  perhaps  out- 
side of  Joliet.  The  merchants  are  energetic  and  up  to  date 
in  every  way.  The  general  merchandise  stores  are  maintained 
by  H.  A.  Frahm,  Arnold  Harken  &  Company,  Harry  Conrad, 
Duwe  and  Schroeder.  A  confectionery  store  is  operated  Iby 
Cavallini  and  Parenti.  John  Conrad's  Sons  maintain  a  hard- 
ware store  which  is  as  good  as  any  in  the  county  with  a  com- 
plete stock  which  is  always  up  to  date.  Two  grain  companies 
are  in  the  city — the  Farmers'  Grain  Company  and  Esson  & 
Barbour.  The  Continental  Bridge  Company  is  the  only  manu- 
facturing establishment  in  the  city.  It  is  a  prosperous  concern 
employing  sixty  men.  Two  banks  are  maintained,  the  Bank 
of  Peotone  and  the  Citizens'  State  Bank.  Both  of  these  insti- 
tutions are  prosperous  and  have  the  confidence  of  the  people. 
Dr.  F.  B.  Daugherty  is  the  dentist  who  has  an  office  in  the  city. 
Dr.  Frank  A.  Holzhauer  looks  after  the  health  of  the  people 
and  D.  V.  Knowlton  sells  drugs. 

The  schools  in  Peotone  have  kept  faith  constantly  with  the 
improvement  of  the  city.  They  have  maintained  a  good  grade 
school  system  and  a  four-year  high  school  which  is  attended  by 
large  numbers  from  the  rural  schools  around  the  city.  In 
March,  1928,  the  school  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  just  be- 
fore the  Board  of  Education  was  ready  to  accept  the  addition 
to  the  high  school.  After  the  fire  it  was  found  that  they  could 
salvage  more  than  half  of  the  new  addition.  The  board  imme- 
diately took  steps  to  rebuild,  changing  the  plans  so  that  the 
grade  school  part  is  adjusted  to  the  high  school  building.  The 
entire  new  building  will  be  ready  for  use  about  November, 

21— VOL.  1 


322  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1928.  It  is  modern  in  every  detail  and  provides  the  latest 
equipment  for  both  grades  and  high  school.  Mr.  A.  R.  Evans 
is  the  superintendent  in  charge. 

The  churches  of  the  community  have  been  maintained 
through  the  years.  The  attendance  is  good  and  the  support  in 
a  financial  way  is  always  liberal. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  city  and  the  surrounding  country 
have  maintained  a  fair  for  exhibiting  live  stock,  machinery,  and 
the  various  products  of  the  farm.  The  premium  list  is  liberal 
and  covers  all  details.  It  is  always  well  attended  and  is  an 
established  institution  which  does  much  to  upbuild  the  agri- 
culture of  the  surrounding  territory. 

This  interesting  account  of  "Way  Back"  is  contributed  by 
the  Peotone  Vedette  for  February  23,  1928: 

"One  September  morning  in  1861  an  elderly  man  in  a  top- 
buggy,  who  for  more  than  twenty  years  was  a  resident  of  West 
Peotone,  and  the  writer  then  a  boy  of  about  nine  years,  left 
the  hamlet  of  Bloom  (only  a  hamlet  then,  Chicago  Heights 
now),  and  drove  south  through  Crete  and  down  over  the  prairie 
east  of  Monee  Grove  looking  for  a  station  on  the  I.  C.  Railway 
called  'Peotone.'  We  failed  to  discover  it  either  on  the  prairie 
or  on  the  horizon.  However,  over  to  the  west  we  could  see  a 
string  of  little  freight  cars  of  all  colors,  red,  yellow,  green,  etc., 
being  drawn  southward  by  an  engine  with  a  funnel  shaped 
smokestack.  By  and  by  the  smoke  rose  straight  up  near  what 
looked  like  it  might  be  a  grain  elevator.  It  was.  When  we 
came  nearer  we  could  see  six  or  eight  buildings  strung  along 
the  railroad  about  half  a  mile  from  north  to  south.  The  Laidaw 
place  at  the  north  end  and  D.  L.  Christian's  place  at  the  south, 
and  in  between  was  the  two  story  station  house  on  the  west 
side  of  the  tract  (not  tracks),  the  store  of  V.  L.  Morey,  the 
shanty  saloon  of  Johnny  Higgins,  then  a  block  away  another 
Morey  brother  lived  in  a  house  where  Mrs.  Lockie  now  lives, 
and  across  the  road  from  that  west  the  two  story  smithshop 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  323 

where  'Col/  Fahs  blacksmithed,  and  lived  upstairs.  He  looked 
the  part  of  the  'Village  Blacksmith'  (all  but  the  spreading 
chestnut  tree),  being  a  brawny  man  with  a  big  gray  beard,  and 
he  did  everything  in  ironwork.  The  schoolhouse  on  the  lot  it 
now  occupies,  completes  the  picture. 

"From  the  east  the  open  prairie  came  to  the  railroad  track. 
Wagon  trails  led  off  easterly  in  various  directions.  West  of  the 
railroad  the  prarie  came  right  up  to  the  store  and  the  houses 
which  have  been  mentioned.  Towards  the  west  two  or  three 
trails  led  off  in  different  directions.  The  first  house  to  the 
southwest  was  the  Robert  Rains  place  three  miles  out.  The 
next,  two  or  three  miles  further.  Northwest  the  Beards,  the 
Palmers  and  the  two  or  three  settlers  were  a  bit  nearer.  The 
only  schoolhouse  in  West  Peotone  was  five  miles  out,  and  was 
called  the  Ralph  Crawford  school  and  he  lived  a  half  mile 
away.  That  schoolhouse  was  14x28,  not  plastered  but  lined 
with  thin  matched  boards.  The  coal  house  was  over  by  the 
hedge  and  had  neither  roof,  sides  nor  floor.  Some  of  the  chil- 
dren came  two  and  three  miles. 

"The  station  house  at  Peotone  was  a  combined  passenger, 
freight  house  and  residence.  The  telegraph  instrument  re- 
corded the  messages  on  a  paper  tape.  In  the  winter  of  1861-62 
the  building  burned  down.  The  agent  was  a  nice  young  fellow. 
He  had  brought  a  bride  from  Louisville,  Ky.,  not  long  before. 
The  writer  was  vastly  concerned  to  hear  that  all  her  silverware 
had  been  melted  down  with  the  house.  She  was  a  lovely  young 
lady  and  certainly  shone  while  she  remained  at  Peotone,  but 
she  did  not  let  her  young  man  stay  there  long.  She  gave  the 
writer's  mother  the  first  egg  plants  he  ever  saw  and  full  direc- 
tions for  preparing  them  for  the  table,  but  they  did  not  make 
a  hit  with  him. 

"In  1861  the  deer  and  the  wolves  were  not  all  gone.  The 
first  deer  I  ever  saw  was  a  doe  about  eighty  rods  distant,  with 
two  fawns  trailing  after  her  and  I  did  not  know  what  they. 


324  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

were.  I  have  seen  a  wolf  gnawing  at  a  dead  horse  in  broad 
daylight  in  a  swail  about  twenty  rods  west  of  where  the  resi- 
dence of  the  late  M.  Collins  stood  later.  Mr.  Collins  had  not 
yet  arrived  to  become  the  station  agent.  Timber  wolves  came 
down  from  Monee  Grove  and  the  woods  of  Northern  Indiana. 
I  know,  for  I  have  shot  at  them,  big  fellows,  the  size  of  a  police 
dog,  and  they  were  not  like  the  cowardly  prairie  wolf.  They 
continued  to  come  occasionally  for  several  years.  They  were 
not  panicky  when  shot  at  but  just  loped  away  like  it  was  a 
matter  of  no  consequence. 

"The  rattlesnakes  were  not  all  gone  either  and  now  and 
then  we  killed  one  in  the  school  yard. 

"Morey's  store  was  the  city  emporium.  Upstairs  Freddie 
tinkled  away  on  the  only  piano  in  these  parts.  Freddie  was  a 
nice,  pretty  boy  and  afterwards  went  to  Germany  to  study 
music  and  finally  came  back  a  handsome  hard  boiled  young 
man. 

"Out  west  of  'town'  a  couple  of  miles  Layton  Palmer  had 
a  flock  of  several  hundred  sheep.  He  pastured  them  on  the 
prairie  this  side  of  the  creek.  A  big  boy  was  sheep  herder  by 
day,  and  a  tight  board  fence  enclosed  the  yard  just  this  side 
the  creek,  and  by  it  a  pole  16  or  20  feet  high  with  a  seat  at  the 
top  was  for  a  man  to  sit  on  with  a  gun  to  watch  by  night.  The 
pole  was  there  a  long  time  after  the  sheep  and  the  yard  had 
gone.  Palmer  had  a  great  fancy  for  a  trotting  horse.  Sitting 
in  a  high  wheel  sulky,  his  whiskers  waving  in  the  summer 
breeze  he  would  push  a  gray  'hoss'  around  a  track  he  had  laid 
out  on  the  prairie  not  far  from  the  sheep  yard,  with  all  the  en- 
thusiasm of  a  veteran  trainer.  He  was  a  good  old  sport  but 
the  I.  C.  Express  finally  got  him  at  a  town  crossing. 

"In  the  summer  in  those  first  years  the  prairie  was  like  a 
flower  garden.  Sweet  Williams,  buttercups  in  the  low  grounds, 
star  flowers,  shoestring  lavender  plumes,  many  varieties  of  sun- 
flowers large  and  small,  bluebells,  two  kinds  of  tall  rosin  stalks 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  325 

with  spikes  of  yellow  flowers,  red  tufts  of  flowers  on  a  rather 
coarse  plant,  and  hidden  down  under  the  long  grasses  little 
modest  blossoms  white  and  cheerful  looking,  wild  roses  every- 
where, water  lilies  and  other  flowering  plants  in  the  ponds, 
scarlet  blooms  that  blazed  out  of  the  pools  in  the  creeks  and 
many  other  flowers  whose  very  names  I  have  forgotten  gave 
color  and  charm  to  the  landscape.  Only  the  wild  roses  in 
some  unswept  corner  of  the  fields  or  by  some  neglected  road- 
side and  now  and  then  a  bluebell  in  the  shelter  of  a  hedge  or 
some  little  flower  that  has  escaped  the  civilizing  plow  of  man, 
still  continue  to  lift  their  sunny  faces  to  those  who  once  de- 
lighted in  the  glory  of  them  and  their  sisters.  Where  Peotone 
now  stands  in  urban  pride  the  soft  airs  of  the  summer  evening 
once  wafted  the  faint  perfumes  of  God's  broad  fields  of  beauty. 
Now  the  scent  of  the  lowly  cabbage  boiling  in  the  kitchen  din- 
ner pot  welcomes  the  laborer  as  he  treks  homeward  from  his 
day's  toil.    Such  is  civilization. 

"Bird  life  on  the  prairie  was  abundant.  In  the  fall  clouds 
of  ducks  would  rise  from  the  cornfields  with  a  thunderous 
boom.  In  the  spring  the  hopeful  sound  of  the  crowing  prairie 
chickens  filled  the  early  morning  air.  Some  wise  fellows  have 
claimed  that  the  prairie  rooster  did  not  'drum'  with  his  feet  as 
did  some  species  of  partridge.  But  sitting  on  horseback  I  have 
seen  them  strutting  about  with  their  head  plumage  erected, 
take  a  little  run,  drum  the  ground  with  their  feet,  stretch  out 
their  necks  and  crow,  all  in  one  performance,  the  whole  flock 
only  a  few  rods  away.  I  have  had  a  prairie  hen  stick  to  her  nest 
as  I  plowed  past  her  up  and  down  the  field  until  I  had  to  turn 
the  plow  out  to  avoid  running  over  her.  How  they  preserved 
their  lives  on  the  open  prairie,  with  their  little  ones,  from 
predatory  animals,  only  the  Creator  who  made  them  scentless 
and  inconspicuous  at  such  times  could  be  fully  cognizant. 

"Christmas  time,  1863,  a  fierce  blizzard  swept  over  the  whole 
West.    Cattle  froze  to  death  in  the  half  protected  yards.    Men 


326  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

froze  on  the  prairie.  Children  stayed  all  night  in  the  country 
school.  Our  soldier  boys  down  south  suffered  severely.  It 
lasted  a  week.  The  following  August  we  had  a  tremendous 
rainstorm  one  afternoon  and  night  which  flooded  the  streams 
and  swept  every  bridge  away.  Out  southwest  of  town  the 
farmers'  cattle  were  caught  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  river-like 
creek.  Next  morning  a  bunch  of  farmers  sat  on  their  horses 
looking  across  the  stream  and  wondering  how  they  were  going 
to  get  their  cows  home.  By  and  by,  a  ten-year-old  Scotch  girl 
came  riding  down  the  road  on  a  gray  stallion  work  horse,  rode 
him  straight  into  the  water,  swam  across  the  twenty-five  or 
thirty  rods  of  it,  drove  the  cows  in  and  brought  them  across 
while  the  farmers  sat  on  their  horses  and  looked  at  her  do  it. 
She  learned  to  swim  in  old  Scotland  on  the  North  Sea  and  was 
not  afraid  of  water.  When  she  grew  up  the  writer  married 
her." — Auldays. 

The  Peotone  Vedette  for  July  14,  1928,  contributes  this  in- 
teresting history  of  Civil  war  days.  It  has  not  been  published 
before  and  adds  much  to  our  own  history  as  well  as  to  the 
history  of  the  nation : 

"Late  in  1864  the  number  of  men  volunteering  to  serve  in 
the  Union  armies  was  rapidly  declining  and  the  Government  at 
Washington  decided  to  resort  to  the  draft.  It  was  generally 
believed  throughout  the  North  that  the  Union  cause  would 
eventually  win,  but  the  Confederate  forces  were  fighting  tena- 
ciously and  in  many  ways  they  had  the  advantage  because  they 
were  fighting  on  their  home  soil  and  were  nearer  their  bases 
of  supplies. 

"In  many  parts  of  the  North  there  was  a  great  deal  of  dis- 
loyalty and  out-and-out  opposition  to  the  drafting  of  men  for 
the  Union  armies.  In  New  York  and  other  cities  there  were 
serious  riots.  The  Northern  morale  was  at  a  low  ebb  and  the 
future  appeared  dark  indeed  to  thousands  of  citizens  who  had 
sacrificed  much  to  aid  the  Union  cause. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  327 

"Such  was  the  situation  when  the  citizens  of  the  pioneer 
township  of  Peotone  were  informed  that  the  draft  would  be 
put  in  operation  unless  the  township  furnished  six  volunteers. 
At  that  time,  Peotone  had  34  registered  voters.  Practically 
every  available  man  had  volunteered  for  military  service  and 
no  one  knew  where  the  six  men  could  be  found. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  it  was  decided  to  bond  the 
town  for  $4,000,  the  money  to  be  used  for  'bounties'  to  be  paid 
to  men  who  would  volunteer.  No  one  seemed  to  favor  the 
drafting  of  men. 

"There  was  not  time  enough  to  go  through  with  the  red 
tape  of  calling  an  election  to  vote  on  the  bonding  proposition. 
The  sum  of  $4,000  was  raised  by  subscription  with  the  under- 
standing that  all  were  to  vote  for  the  bonds  and  that  the  sub- 
scribers were  to  be  reimbursed  when  the  money  was  raised  in 
the  legal  way.  By  the  way,  just  think  what  $4,000  meant  to 
thirty-four  pioneer  settlers ! 

"That  scheme  was  carried  through  as  planned  and  there 
was  no  draft  in  Peotone. 

"Ralph  Crawford  was  appointed  a  commissioner  to  attend 
to  the  details  and  when  he  found  a  man  who  could  be  induced 
to  volunteer  for  the  lump  sum  of  cash  bounty  offered  him,  Mr. 
Crawford  would  accompany  him  to  Joliet  where  the  recruiting 
officer  gave  Crawford  a  certificate  for  the  man  in  the  following 
form: 

"  'Office  Provost  Marshal, 
Sixth  District,  Illinois, 
Joliet,  Feb.  9,  1865. 
"  'I  hereby  certify  that  John  Fish  has  this  day  enlisted  and 
been  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and  cred- 
ited to  the  Town  of  Peotone,  Will  County,  Illinois. 

"  'Abel  Longworth. 
"  'Captain  and  Provost  Marshal,  6th  Dist,  111.' 


328  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"In  this  way  Mr.  Crawford  came  into  possession  of  twelve 
of  these  certificates  and  Peotone  had  furnished  just  twice  as 
many  men  as  had  been  asked  for. 

"The  twelve  certificates  all  signed  by  Abel  Longworth  and 
bearing  various  dates  between  February  9  and  March  17, 1865, 
are  now  in  the  possession  of  the  editor  of  the  Vedette,  through 
the  courtesy  of  Elmer  J.  Crawford,  who  found  them  while 
going  through  his  late  father's  papers. 

"The  names  of  the  twelve  men  are  John  Fish,  Thomas 
Cooper,  J.  H.  Peterson,  C.  C.  Cross,  John  Wainwright,  Samuel 
S.  Beal,  Albert  Andre,  Henry  Goodspeed,  John  H.  Shufelt,  Jo- 
seph Brown,  Lyman  A.  Bradlay  and  John  Simonds. 

"The  only  one  of  these  names  that  means  anything  to  the 
writer  is  that  of  Henry  Goodspeed,  who  was  the  son  of  Samuel 
Goodspeed,  one  of  Peotone's  earliest  settlers. 

"Can  any  of  the  older  readers  of  the  Vedette  give  us  any 
information  regarding  any  of  the  other  men? 

"It  was  not  necessary  for  Mr.  Crawford  to  secure  citizens 
of  Peotone  to  fill  the  quota  for  the  town.  He  could  pick  up 
men  wherever  he  could  find  them  and  have  them  credited  to 
his  town. 

"This  system  of  offering  a  cash  bounty  to  a  man  who  would 
agree  to  Volunteer'  gave  rise  to  the  evil  of  'bounty  jumping.' 
A  'bounty  jumper'  was  a  man  who  collected  the  bounty  offered 
by  a  town  and  after  reaching  the  military  camp  would  desert 
and  going  to  another  town  would  collect  another  bounty,  and 
again  enlist  under  an  assumed  name,  repeating  this  perform- 
ance as  often  as  he  could  with  safety. 

"Occasionally  the  'bounty  jumper'  was  detected  and  pun- 
ished for  deserting.  The  modern  methods  of  identification  had 
not  been  thought  of  in  the  '60s  and  the  'bounty  jumper'  nearly 
always  escaped  merited  punishment." 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  329 

Plainfield  Township  has  had  considerable  space  in  this  his- 
tory because  the  earliest  settlement  was  made  there,  and  be- 
cause the  renowned  evangelist  and  mission  worker,  Jesse 
Walker,  worked  outward  from  Plainfield  for  some  years.  The 
first  settlement  in  Walker's  Grove  dates  back  a  century.  The 
Indian  town  dates  back  perhaps  two  centuries  so  Plainfield 
has  been  on  the  map  a  long  time.  The  Red  Man  selected  the 
townsite  because  it  was  a  veritable  paradise.  This  name  is 
justified  today  by  the  beautiful  town  with  well  kept  streets, 
attractive  homes  and  sociably  inclined  people.  The  farming 
region  round  about  is  equally  attractive  and  productive. 

Much  of  the  early  history  of  Plainfield  centers  about  Father 
Walker.    Much  also,  centers  about  Rev.  S.  R.  Beggs. 

"Rev.  S.  R.  Beggs,  another  veteran  Methodist  preacher,  is 
an  early  settler  at  Plainfield,  and  the  oldest  settler  of  the  place 
now  living.  He  settled  here  in  the  summer  of  1831,  near  where 
he  still  lives.  Father  Beggs  was  born  in  Rockingham  County, 
Virginia,  in  1801,  and  when  four  years  old  his  father  removed 
to  Kentucky,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and  then  settled 
in  Clarke  County,  Indiana,  on  the  Ohio  River,  seventeen  miles 
above  the  falls.  Here  the  family  were  subjected  to  all  the  pri- 
vations incident  to  a  new  home  in  a  great  wilderness,  that  of 
chills  and  fever  being  included.  As  an  illustration  of  the  times, 
Mr.  Beggs  says  he  was  seven  years  old  before  he  ever  possessed 
the  luxury  of  a  pair  of  shoes.  At  an  early  age  he  entered  the 
ministry,  and  became  an  itinerant  Methodist  preacher,  labor- 
ing in  Indiana,  Missouri  and  Illinois,  settling,  as  above  stated, 
at  Plainfield  in  1831.  To  show  the  hardships  those  early  preach- 
ers underwent  to  plant  the  Gospel  in  the  wilderness,  we  again 
quote  from  Father  Beggs'  book.  Referring  to  his  year's  labor, 
he  says:  "My  quarterage  this  year  was  $23;  my  clothing,  that 
I  had  brought  from  home,  was  by  this  time  so  nearly  worn  out 
that  it  was  necessary  to  replace  it  with  new.    Some  of  the 


330  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

sisters  spun  wool  and  made  me  a  coat  of  blue  and  white  cotton, 
a  pair  of  white  cotton  pants  and  one  of  mixed.  One  of  the 
brothers  gave  me  his  old  hat,  which  I  got  pressed,  and  then 
I  was  fitted  out  for  Conference."  Think  of  this,  ye  high-sal- 
aried, stall-fed  pastors,  who  proclaim  the  Word  from  marble 
desks,  in  gilded  temples,  resplendent  in  your  broadcloth  and 
white  cravats!  Think  ye,  will  not  these  self-denying  men  of 
God,  who  braved  danger,  hunger  and  cold  to  spread  the  Gospel, 
receive  the  brighter  crown  when  they  arrive  in  the  Kingdom? 
We  are  not  writing  a  religious  history  of  the  county,  but  the 
long  associations  and  administrations  of  Father  Beggs  and 
Walker  in  this  particular  portion  of  Will  County,  are  so  inter- 
woven and  connected  with  its  history  that  to  omit  it  would  be 
to  leave  out  the  most  important  part  of  it.  In  1836,  Mr.  Beggs 
was  appointed  to  the  Joliet  Circuit,  and  commenced  the  work 
of  building  the  first  Methodist  Church,  also  the  first  church 
edifice  in  Joliet,  as  noticed  in  the  first  part  of  our  work.  Dur- 
ing the  Sac  war,  his  house,  then  considered  the  strongest  build- 
ing in  the  Plainfield  settlement,  was  constructed  into  a  fort. 
Two  log  pens  which  he  had  built  for  a  barn  and  shed,  were  torn 
down  and  made  into  fortifications  around  his  house,  into  which 
the  settlers  all  crowded.  But  Indian  outrages  growing  more 
alarming  every  day,  it  was  finally  decided  to  risk  trying  to  get 
to  Chicago.  The  settlers  were  formed  into  a  company,  and 
James  Walker  elected  captain.  Being  only  teams  enough  to 
carry  the  people,  their  effects  were  left  behind,  many  of  which 
were  taken  or  destroyed  by  the  Indians  before  the  whites  were 
permitted  to  return.  But  the  cloud  of  war  rolled  away  before 
Scott's  legions,  and  the  people  could  finally  return  in  safety 
to  their  homes. 

In  1829,  a  Frenchman  of  the  name  of  Vetel  Vermette  settled 
at  Plainfield.  He  did  not  remain  very  long  in  the  settlement, 
however,  but  sold  his  claim  to  Jedediah  Woolley,  Sr.,  and  left 
for  some  other  land.    Of  him  very  little  is  known,  as  few  are 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  331 

living  who  remember  him.  In  the  summer  of  1830,  Reuben 
Flagg,  from  Vermont,  came  to  Plainfield  with  his  family.  He 
was  two  months  on  the  road,  and  arrived  in  the  settlement  on 
the  9th  of  July.  Chicago  at  the  time  consisted  of  about  a 
dozen  houses,  mostly  the  huts  of  Indian  traders  and  half- 
breeds.  From  Detroit,  Flagg  was  accompanied  by  Woolley, 
noticed  as  buying  out  the  Frenchman  Vermette.  In  a  letter 
written  by  Mr.  Flagg  to  H.  N.  Marsh,  in  1851,  he  stated  that 
when  he  settled  at  Plainfield,  there  were,  besides  Walker  and 
Vermette,  Timothy  B.  Clarke  and  Thomas  Covel,  and  that  he 
knew  of  no  others  then  in  the  county,  except  three  families 
on  Hickory  Creek,  viz.,  a  Mr.  Rice,  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Kerche- 
val,  and  the  nearest  white  settler  on  the  west  was  at  Dixon's 
Ferry.  He  is  said  to  have  hauled  the  lumber  to  Chicago  to 
build  the  first  frame  house  erected  in  that  city,  and  which  was 
sawed  in  James  Walker's  sawmill,  on  the  DuPage,  near  Plain- 
field. 

Timothy  B.  Clarke,  from  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,  came  to 
Plainfield  in  1830.  He  emigrated  to  Illinois  in  1820,  and  settled 
in  Tazewell  County  when  that  part  of  the  state  was  an  almost 
unbroken  wilderness.  He  remained  there  about  eight  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Fort  Clarke  (now  Peoria),  remaining 
there  a  year  or  two,  and  moved  up  and  made  a  claim  within 
seven  miles  of  Ottawa.  This  claim  he  afterward  sold  to  Green, 
who  built  a  mill  on  it,  so  extensively  patronized  by  the  early 
settlers  of  Northern  Illinois,  many  coming  to  it  from  a  distance 
of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  miles.  From  this  place,  Mr.  Clarke 
removed  to  Plainfield  settlements,  as  already  noted,  in  1830. 
This  was  before  the  Sac  war,  and  the  Indians,  who  were  quite 
plenty  in  the  neighborhood,  were  friendly  but  exceedingly 
troublesome.  They  would  go  into  the  fields  and  help  themselves 
gratuitously  to  corn,  potatoes  and  anything  else  they  wanted, 
without  so  much  as  "By  your  leave,  sir."  He  could  not  stay 
there  in  peace,  and  so,  in  1834,  moved  up  into  DuPage  Town- 


332  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ship,  near  Barber's  Corners.  The  elder  Clarke  was  a  carpen- 
ter and  builder,  and  erected  the  first  frame  house  in  Chicago, 
then  a  little  suburban  village  in  this  section  of  the  country.  In 
that  house  the  Indians  were  paid  off  before  leaving  for  their 
new  hunting-grounds  toward  the  setting  sun.  He  removed  to 
Missouri  in  1835,  and  from  there  to  Iowa  in  1847,  but  returned 
to  DuPage,  and  died  at  his  son's  in  1848.  B.  B.  Clarke  was  six- 
teen years  old  when  his  father  removed  to  Plainfield  in  1830, 
and  remembers  distinctly  the  Indian  troubles  of  that  rather 
stormy  period.  He  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  first  in 
Walker's  company,  which  soon  disbanded,  however,  and  after- 
ward enlisted  in  Captain  Sisson's  company.  During  the  most 
perilous  times,  he  went  from  Plainfield  to  Ottawa  with  a  team 
after  provisions,  with  a  guard  of  only  four  men.  They  made 
the  trip  in  safety,  though  several  hats  were  found  along  the 
trail  pierced  by  bullets,  whose  wearers  had  been  murdered  by 
the  Indians.  Mr.  Clarke  says  that  when  his  father  first  re- 
moved to  Plainfield,  the  nearest  mill  was  in  the  vicinity  of 
Peoria,  distant  130  miles.  His  father  went  there'  once  to  mill 
— bought  grain  there  to  save  hauling  it  both  ways — and  the 
"rainy  season"  setting  in,  the  waters  arose  (there  were  no 
bridges)  and  as  a  consequence,  he  was  gone  six  weeks.  His 
family,  in  the  meantime,  had  to  live  on  potatoes,  and  by  pound- 
ing corn  in  a  kind  of  mortar,  which  was  sifted  and  the  finest  of 
it  was  made  in  bread,  and  the  coarse  into  hominy.  The  elder 
Clarke  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  had  a  soldier's 
claim  to  land  in  the  Military  District  lying  between  the  Illinois 
and  Mississippi  rivers,  and  had  bought  the  claims  of  other  sol- 
diers to  lands  there.  He  sold  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  this 
military  territory  for  $75,  and  took  pay  in  augers,  which,  next 
to  the  ax,  was  the  principal  implement  used  by  the  pioneer. 
He  also  had  a  claim  to  canal  lands  in  DuPage  Township,  a  part 
of  which  was  owned  by  his  son,  B.  B.  Clarke,  as  late  as  1878. 
The  latter  went  to  California  in  1850,  overland  with  teams, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  333 

and  was  five  months  on  the  way.  He  remained  about  two  years 
in  the  Golden  State,  and  then  returned  to  the  old  home.  A 
brother,  Hiram  Clarke,  went  out  in  1849,  when  the  gold  fever 
first  broke  out,  and  William,  another  brother,  went  with  his 
brother,  B.  B.,  in  1850.  At  this  latter  period,  so  many  had 
crossed  the  plains  with  teams  that  the  grass  had  been  devoured 
by  their  stock  for  a  space  of  two  miles  on  both  sides  of  the 
trail,  and  they  would  take  their  teams  in  the  evening  to  the 
grazing  and  remain  by  them  during  the  night  to  prevent  their 
being  stolen.  Mr.  Clarke  tells  the  following  incident  of  the 
early  times:  He  and  one  of  his  brothers  took  a  lot  of  ponies 
to  Chicago,  for  the  purpose  of  selling  them  to  the  Indians  when 
they  received  their  stipendiary  remuneration,  as  Wilkins  Mi- 
cawber  would  put  it,  and  stable  accommodations  being  more 
meager  than  now  in  the  Garden  City,  could  find  no  barn  in 
which  to  put  their  stock,  were  forced  to  turn  them  loose  in  a 
lot.  Hearing  a  racket  among  them  during  the  night,  his  brother 
went  out  to  learn  the  cause,  when  he  found  an  Indian  trying 
to  get  them  out.  Without  a  word,  he  fell  upon  the  savage  with 
his  big  horsewhip,  and  the  faster  he  ran  the  faster  he  rained 
the  blows  upon  him,  the  Indian  indulging  in  the  guttural  "Ugh ! 
Ugh!"  every  jump.  Arriving  at  the  fence,  he  made  no  effort 
to  climb  it  in  the  ordinary  way,  but  scrambled  to  the  top  and 
fell  over  on  the  opposite  side.  This  caused  them  some  alarm, 
lest  he  should  return  with  assistance,  but  the  night  passed  with- 
out further  molestation. 

Another  of  the  very  first  in  this  settlement  was  Thomas 
Covel.  He  came  from  Ohio  in  1830,  made  a  claim  near  Plain- 
field  village  where  he  remained  for  a  time,  then  sold  out  and 
moved  up  on  Salt  Creek,  where,  some  years  later,  he  died. 
Though  one  among  the  very  first  settlers,  beyond  this  no  in- 
formation of  him  could  be  obtained.  John  Cooper,  a  brother- 
in-law  of  Clarke's,  came  from  Ohio  in  1830.  After  remaining 
in  this  place  a  few  years  he  removed  to  Iowa,  and  from  Iowa 


334  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

to  California  in  1852,  and  resided  there  until  his  death,  in  1872. 
James  Gilson  was  another  of  the  early  ones  who  settled  here  in 
1830.  He  came  from  Tennessee,  and  lived  near  the  village  and 
kept  a  shop  on  his  farm  and  did  quite  a  business  in  repairing 
guns.  He  was  a  pioneer  by  nature,  and  when  the  country  began 
to  settle  up  around  him,  he  "moved  on"  to  Iowa  in  search  of 
a  location  more  congenial  to  his  tastes,  and  there  died.  From 
New  York,  the  settlement  of  Plainfield  received  John  and  Ben- 
jamin Shutliff  and  Jedediah  Woolley,  Sr.  John  Shutliff  and 
Woolley  came  in  1832,  and  the  former,  after  a  few  years,  sold 
out  and  moved  away,  but  where  we  could  not  learn,  Woolley 
bought  out  Vermette  the  Frenchman,  then  sold  the  claim  to 
Rev.  Beggs  and  improved  another  farm  on  the  east  side  of  the 
grove,  on  which  he  lived  several  years,  sold  it  and  removed 
into  Troy  Township,  about  eight  miles  from  Plainfield.  Ben- 
jamin Richardson  was  from  the  East,  but  what  state  we  could 
not  learn.  He  settled  here  in  1834,  and  in  a  year  or  two  moved 
to  Joliet,  where  he  is  noticed  further.  Benjamin  Shutliff  set- 
tled in  this  town  in  1834,  and  was  a  brother  of  John  Shutliff. 
In  a  few  years,  he  moved  "West  to  grow  up  with  the  country." 
Jonathan  Hagar  was  born  in  the  City  of  Quebec,  C.  E.,  and, 
when  ten  years  of  age,  removed  with  his  parents  to  Vermont, 
where  he  resided  until  1829,  when  he  came  West  and  settled  in 
Michigan,  and  five  years  later  removed  to  Ohio.  In  1835,  he 
came  to  Plainfield,  making  the  journey  from  Cleveland  to  De- 
troit by  steamer,  and  from  thence  to  Chicago  by  stage.  The 
village  had  been  laid  out  the  year  before  (1834)  by  Chester 
Ingersoll,  as  elsewhere  stated,  and  contained,  on  Mr.  Hagar's 
arrival,  a  blacksmith  shop,  tailor  shop,  a  wagon  shop,  two  tav- 
erns and  perhaps  one  or  two  other  houses,  of  which  a  man 
named  Royce  owned  a  shop,  in  which  he  manufactured  fanning 
mills.  James  Gilson  had  a  shop  on  his  farm,  and  being  quite  a 
genius,  did  an  extensive  business  in  repairing  guns.  Mr.  Hagar 
was  one  of  the  first  merchants  of  Plainfield,  and  was  always 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  335 

one  of  its  active  and  enterprising  business  men.  He  could 
stand  in  his  store  door  of  mornings  and  see  the  wolves  scamper- 
ing across  the  open  common  of  the  village.  Jason  Flanders 
came  from  New  Hampshire  in  1834,  and  settled  in  Plainfield 
Township.  He  came  overland  in  wagons  to  Troy,  New  York, 
thence  by  water  to  Detroit,  and  the  remainder  of  the  way  by 
land,  arriving  at  his  destination  in  June.  He  had  six  children, 
one  of  whom  was  state's  attorney  of  Will  County,  Hon.  James 
R.  Flanders,  of  Joliet. 

The  Green  Mountain  State  furnished  the  settlement  Lorin 
Burdick,  S.  S.  Pratt,  Oliver  Goss,  Thomas  Rickey,  Deacon  Good- 
hue and  Hardy  Metcalf.  Burdick  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Plainfield — a  man  of  exalted  charity  and  benevolence  and 
an  enterprising  citizen.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
and  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburg ;  had  one  son 
in  the  Mexican  war,  and  three  in  the  Civil  war;  and  a  brother 
Timothy  Burdick,  also  a  soldier  of  1812,  died  of  sickness  in 
the  army  in  Mexico  during  that  war.  We  extract  the  following 
from  the  Plainfield  correspondence  of  the  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser. Speaking  of  Mr.  Burdick,  it  says :  "He  hauled  the  first 
lumber  from  Chicago  used  in  building  the  courthouse  in  Joliet; 
hewed  the  timber  used  in  building  the  first  bridge  across  the  Du- 
Page  at  Plainfield,  and  assisted  in  building  the  first  sawmill  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  located  on  the  DuPage ;  also  in  erect- 
ing the  first  church,  the  first  schoolhouse  in  Plainfield,  and  the 
first  hotel  in  Lockport.  He  donated  liberally  in  money  toward 
purchasing  the  land  for  the  first  burying-ground,  and  assisted 
in  laying  it  out,  and  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  to  whom  Plain- 
field  owes  her  existence.  His  sudden  illness,  resulting  in  death 
August  3, 1878,  was  caused  by  taking  Paris  green  through  mis- 
take for  sulphur,  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  using.  Deacon 
Goodhue  settled  here  in  1832.  He  entered  land  about  a  mile 
northeast  of  Plainfield  village,  on  the  Chicago  road,  and  when 
he  died  in  1856,  still  lived  on  his  original  claim  where  he  settled. 


336  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Goss  came  to  the  settlement  in  1834,  and  made  a  claim  just 
south  of  the  village,  where  he  died  in  1842.  Metcalf  came  in 
1834  or  1835,  made  a  claim,  sold  out  and  moved  away  many 
years  ago — where,  no  one  now  remembers.  Pratt  settled  in 
the  township  in  1835,  where  he  still  lives.  Rickey  settled  here 
in  1834,  and  died  more  than  thirty  years  ago. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Plainfield  Township,  of  whom 
there  is  any  definite  information  to  be  had,  was  Samantha  E. 
Flagg,  a  daughter  of  Reuben  Flagg,  and  was  born  September 
9, 1830.  This  is  also  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  birth  among 
the  whites  in  Will  County.  The  first  death  was  that  of  Albert 
Clarke,  in  1831,  a  son  of  Timothy  B.  Clarke,  mentioned  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Walker's  Grove.  The  first  marriage  re- 
membered was  James  Turner  to  a  Miss  Watkins,  in  1831  or 
1832,  and  were  married  by  Rev.  Mr.  Beggs.  The  first  physi- 
cian who  ever  practiced  medicine  in  this  neighborhood  was 
Dr.  E.  G.  Wight.  He  came  from  Massachusetts  and  settled  in 
Naperville  in  1831,  and  the  circle  of  his  practice  was  bounded 
by  Chicago,  Mineral  Point,  Ottawa  and  Bourbonnais  Grove, 
and  was  more  than  a  hundred  miles  across  either  way.  He 
built  the  first  frame  house  in  Naperville,  and  removed  to  Plain- 
field  in  1847,  but  had  been  practicing  here  since  1831.  He  died 
in  1865.  He  became  blind  when  scarcely  past  middle  life,  and 
for  eight  years  his  son,  R.  B.  Wight,  went  with  him  to  his  pro- 
fessional visits  and  led  his  horse.  He  finally  went  to  an  occulist 
at  Rochester,  New  York,  who  partially  restored  his  sight,  and 
for  fifteen  years  before  his  death  he  could  see  to  get  about  with 
comparative  ease  and  safety.  The  experiences  of  this  pioneer 
physician  would  fill  a  volume.  Perhaps  the  first  resident  physi- 
cian was  Dr.  Charles  V.  Dyer,  who  came  to  the  settlement  in 
the  fall  of  1835,  and  practiced  medicine  during  the  winter.  But 
the  settlement  being  small,  the  next  spring  he  concluded  to  risk 
his  fortune  in  the  then  unpromising  marshes  of  Chicago.  The 
subsequent  greatness  of  that  city  and  the  prominence  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  337 

Doctor  there  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  prove  the  wisdom  of 
his  decision,  and  illustrate  the  mutability  of  human  conditions 
in  the  careers  of  both  individuals  and  cities.  The  first  black- 
smith in  the  town  was  one  of  the  Shutliff  s,  who  opened  a  shop 
in  1833-34,  and  did  the  light  work  the  settlement  needed.  The 
first  bridge  in  the  township  was  built  across  the  DuPage  at 
Plainfield,  and  was  a  rough  wooden  structure.  The  timbers 
were  hewed  by  Lorin  Burdick,  as  noticed  in  the  sketch  given 
of  him  elsewhere.  The  rude  affair  presented  a  striking  con- 
trast to  the  excellent  stone  and  iron  bridges  at  present  span- 
ning the  DuPage  and  Lilly-Cache. 

The  first  mill  built  in  Plainfield  Township  or  Walker's 
Grove,  was  by  James  Walker.  It  was  a  horsepower  mill,  which 
he  brought  with  him  from  Ottawa,  and  at  once  set  to  work. 
But  he  built  without  delay  both  a  saw  and  grist  mill  on  the  Du- 
Page, which  was  swept  away  by  a  flood  in  1838.  At  this 
mill  was  sawed  the  lumber  of  which  a  man  named  Peck  built 
the  first  frame  house  erected  in  Chicago,  and  which  stood  on 
the  corner  of  LaSalle  and  South  Water  streets.  Reuben  Flagg, 
as  elsewhere  noted,  hauled  the  lumber  to  Chicago,  and  with 
an  ox-team  at  that.  Matthews,  as  mentioned  in  another  page, 
built  a  mill  north  of  the  village  of  Plainfield  which,  with  some 
additions  and  improvements,  was  in  operation  as  late  as  1880. 
It  was  owned  by  Noah  Sunderland,  but  was  run  by  M.  H.  Avery, 
who  had  a  prosperous  business  with  it.  It  had  three  runs  of 
stones,  with  all  the  modern  attachments.  Quite  an  item  in 
the  history  of  Plainfield  Township  was  Clarke  &  Co.'s  cheese 
factory,  erected  in  1877,  just  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  village 
of  Plainfield.  It  was  a  frame  building  with  stone  basement, 
and  had  a  sufficient  capacity  to  consume  twenty  thousand 
pounds  of  milk  per  day.  Cheese  was  the  principal  product  of 
the  factory,  and  they  turned  out  sixty  cheeses  a  week,  of  fifty- 
two  pounds  weight  each,  besides  making  a  small  quantity  of 
butter. 

22— VOL.  1 


338  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  first  school  in  Plainfield  Township  was  taught  by  a  man 
whose  name  is  now  forgotten,  in  the  winter  of  1833-34,  and 
the  first  regular  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1833  of  rough  logs 
with  a  stick  chimney,  the  exact  type  and  counterpart  of  many 
others  described  in  these  pages.  But  the  schools  have  kept  pace 
with  the  other  improvements,  and,  in  1872,  we  find  there  were 
eleven  school  districts,  five  hundred  pupils  enrolled,  twenty- 
two  teachers  employed,  two  graded  schools  and  a  comfortable 
schoolhouse  in  each  district.  The  amount  paid  teachers  was 
$3,026.38;  total  expenditure  for  the  year,  $4,597.90,  leaving  a 
balance  in  the  treasury  of  $1,381.05. 

William  Bradford,  Daniel,  Chester  and  Enoch  Smith,  Ches- 
ter Ingersoll,  John  Bill  and  J.  E.  Matthews  came  from  the  old 
Bay  State — the  home  of  Charles  Francis  Adams  and  Ben  But- 
ler. The  Smiths  settled  in  the  town  in  1832.  David  sold  out 
and  died  soon  after;  Chester  went  to  Wisconsin  in  1833,  and 
what  became  of  Enoch  no  one  now  remembers.  Chester  Inger- 
soll was  here  during  the  Sac  War,  and  had  a  son  who  lived  in 
Homer  Township.  He  laid  out  the  south  part  of-  the  village  of 
Plainfield,  sold  out  his  lots  and  entered  other  lands  three  miles 
northeast  of  the  village;  improved  a  large  farm,  sold  it  ulti- 
mately, and,  in  1849,  went  to  California,  where  he  died  some 
years  later.  Bradford  settled  here  in  1834.  He  entered  land 
below  the  village  of  Plainfield,  on  which  he  died  the  year  fol- 
lowing. John  Bill  was  a  wagon-maker  by  trade,  the  first  mech- 
anic of  the  "stripe"  in  the  settlement,  and  located  here  in  1834. 
He  entered  land  and  made  a  claim  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  village,  where  he  lived  until  1876,  when  he  removed 
to  Maryland,  and  died  soon  after.  Matthews  came  to  the  settle- 
ment in  1831,  and  made  a  claim  on  the  river  just  above  the 
present  village  of  Plainfield.  In  1835,  he  built  a  mill  here  which 
with  some  additions  and  improvements,  served  that  community 
for  more  than  forty  years.  It  was  built  of  timbers  hewed  by 
hand.    It  was  no  easy  task  to  place  green  timbers  by  hand. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  339 

Matthews  went  to  Oregon  when  people  first  began  to  emigrate 
to  that  magnificent  country.  Another  early  settler  of  Plain- 
field  was  John  Fish,  who  come  to  the  place  as  early  as  1833.  He 
was  from  Indiana,  and  in  a  short  time  moved  up  on  Salt  Creek 
fourteen  miles  west  of  Chicago,  where  he  died.  Edmund  Reed 
came  from  Kentucky  in  1833-34,  and  finally  moved  up  near 
Racine,  and  whether  he  is  yet  alive  could  not  be  learned.  W. 
W.  Wattles  also  settled  here  in  1833.  He  came  here  from  Chi- 
cago, but  his  native  place  could  not  be  ascertained.  He  bought 
out  Timothy  B.  Clarke,  finally  sold  out  himself,  and  moved  up 
north  of  Chicago.  Robert  Chapman,  Scofield  and  a  few  other 
early  settlers  located  about  Plainfield  and  Walker's  Trove. 

La  Cache  Creet  (familiarly  known  as  Lily  Cache)  is  inter- 
esting to  the  historial  because  the  origin  of  the  name  connects 
it  with  very  early  times  of  Will  County.  The  earliest  map 
available  (1858  or  1859)  gives  the  name  "La  Cache"  thus  verify- 
ing the  account  here  given. 

Jean  Gabriel  Cerre'  lived  in  Kaskaskia  and  St.  Louis  for 
many  years.  He  came  from  France  to  a  French  country;  later 
he  became  a  subject  of  the  English  king;  still  later  a  citizen  of 
Virginia  and  American;  then  he  was  a  Spanish  subject;  and 
again  a  subject  of  the  French  Empire  and  then  an  American 
citizen  once  more.  In  this  he  was  not  unique  for  Will  County 
territory  followed  the  same  rotation.  Cerre'  administered  law 
as  a  Virginia  judge,  and  made  laws  as  a  Spanish  syndic.  The 
full  story  of  his  life  would  form  an  interesting  volume  but 
we  are  concerned  more  especially  with  what  happened  in  Will 
County. 

Jean  Gabriel  Cerre'  was  born  on  August  12,  1734,  at  Mon- 
treal. Louis  XV  was  the  French  King  and  Beauhernois  acted 
as  Governor-General  of  Canada.  Peace  prevailed  throughout 
the  country  but  the  English  on  the  south  were  inclined  to 
agriculture  and  the  French  to  adventure  and  yielded  readily 
to  the  call  of  the  wild  and  followed  distant  waterways  and 


340  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

crossed  wide  plains.  When  Cerre'  was  nine  years  old,  two 
brothers  (La  Verendrye)  returned  from  a  journey  of  discov- 
ery in  which  they  reached  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Their  ac- 
counts inspired  him  to  seek  adventure  and  at  twenty-one  he 
was  at  Kaskaskia.  He  sought  wealth  by  trading  with  the  Red 
Men. 

In  1763  he  was  on  his  way  from  Montreal  to  Kaskaskia  in 
loaded  canoes  bearing  goods  to  be  traded  with  the  Indians  who 
gathered  at  Kaskaskia  twice  each  year.  As  he  entered  the 
Chicago  Portage  and  the  Des  Plaines  valley,  the  Red  Men  de- 
manded tribute  for  the  right  to  pass  through  the  Great  High- 
way. This  he  refused  abruptly.  The  Indians  withdrew,  held 
a  council  and  decided  to  stop  him  on  his  way  down  as  he  passed 
their  village.  (At  Channahon).  What  diplomacy  could  not 
procure,  force  might.  In  the  council  meeting  some  of  the  war- 
riors opposed  the  robbery.  The  majority  prevailed  but  a 
friendly  native  reported  the  action  to  Cerre\ 

Cerre'  decided  that  he  would  pass  by  strategy  in  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  if  possible,  and  if  this  failed  he  would  fight. 
To  lighten  his  canoes  to  enable  them  to  pass  the  shallow  places 
readily,  he  unloaded  most  of  his  goods  and  hid  them  in  the 
grove  which  bordered  the  creek  to  the  west  of  the  Des  Plaines. 
Here  the  bales  were  buried  in  the  ground  and  covered  with 
care.  The  surplus  earth  was  removed  with  care  to  conceal  the 
burial  places  (caches). 

Armed  with  guns,  knives,  and  hatchets,  the  Indians  moved 
down  the  river.  At  the  village,  he  left  the  guards  with  the 
boats  and  called  on  the  Indians  for  a  talk.  This  was  readily 
agreed  upon.  Cerre'  represented  that  the  Great  Father,  the 
French  king,  owned  the  land  and  had  authorized  him  to  travel 
and  trade.  The  most  dire  consequences  were  promised  to  those 
who  interfered.  His  "big  talk"  prevailed  and  he  was  granted 
permission  to  proceed.  He  said  that  presents  had  been  pre- 
pared by  the  French  king  for  them  but  that  he  had  withheld 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  341 

them  because  of  their  treachery.  They  repented  and  he  gave 
them  the  bundles  which  he  had  prepared  for  this  purpose.  The 
bundles  contained  a  few  pieces  of  bright  calico,  powder,  and 
shot,  tobacco,  and  flint  and  steel  for  making  fire.  The  Indians 
were  overjoyed  and  sent  men  with  him  to  uncover  the  caches 
and  carry  the  goods  beyond  the  village  where  he  reloaded  his 
canoes  and  proceeded  on  his  journey  from  where  the  Des 
Plaines  and  Kankakee  join  to  form  the  Illinois  River. 

Thus  La  Cache  Creek  was  named.  Alliteration  readily 
changed  it  to  Lily  Cache'  as  we  now  hear  it  spoken. 

From  this  early  history  of  Plainfield  Township  and  the  city 
of  Plainfield,  we  see  that  it  furnished  lumber  for  Chicago  and 
was  quite  a  village  before  Joliet  or  Lockport  had  made  a  start. 
The  city  has  held  its  own  through  the  century,  for  the  first  set- 
tlement was  made  there  100  years  ago.  For  many  years  it  was 
without  a  railroad.  The  communication  with  the  outside  world 
for  half  a  century  was  by  means  of  the  stage  line.  The  coming 
of  the  E.  J.  &  E.  Railroad  brought  transportation  facilities  and 
later,  the  interurban  electric  line  from  Aurora  to  Joliet  made 
it  easy  for  the  people  to  get  back  and  forth  between  both  cities. 
The  building  of  the  concrete  road,  Route  22  of  the  Illinois  sys- 
tem of  highways,  made  the  interurban  useless,  but  it  made  it 
possible  for  that  organization  to  establish  bus  lines  from  Aur- 
ora to  Joliet,  passing  through  Plainfield.  These  seem  to  be 
prosperous  at  the  present  writing. 

The  listing  of  the  business  houses  of  the  city  is  not  always 
the  most  interesting  history,  but  no  better  way  can  be  found 
to  indicate  the  condition  of  a  city.  Therefore,  we  give  the  fol- 
lowing list:  Grocers,  Harry  H.  Bayles,  Nicholas  Seleman,  Louis 
A.  Thompson;  General  Merchants,  Ralph  W.  Hill  and  A.  C. 
Steiner;  Meats,  Fred  Self  ridge,  Oscar  Howard;  Plumbing,  Dar- 
ius V.  Maltby  and  W.  L.  Brockway;  Hardware  and  Agricul- 
tural Implements,  J.  R.  Jones  and  Lambert  &  Fiddyment.  Two 
garages,  Cromer  Motor  Company  and  N.  W.  Hartong;  Drugs, 


342  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Chas.  W.  Hallock  and  Krebb's  Bros.,  two  doctors,  R.  A.  Har- 
court  and  J.  C.  Owens;  Furniture,  Geo.  C.  Luce  and  Men's 
Furnishings,  Edw.  Whitley.  Plainfield  State  Bank  is  a  pros- 
perous institution. 

The  Plainfield  Enterprise  is  a  growing  paper  published  by 
U.  S.  G.  Blakely.  It  is  the  oldest  country  township  paper  in 
Will  County.  It  has  always  maintained  Republican  politics, 
and  has  been  a  help  in  building  up  the  county. 

The  Evangelical  Church  is  maintained  quite  regularly,  the 
new  pastor  being  installed  at  this  writing.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Charters  has  charge  of  the  Congregational  Church,  Rev.  A. 
Annette  of  the  Baptist  Church,  Rev.  Samuel  Taylor  of  the 
Methodist  Church  and  Rev.  Herman  Ezell  has  charge  of  St. 
Mary's  Catholic  Church.  All  of  these  are  prospering  institu- 
tions. 

Reed  Township. — This  is  now  the  smallest  township  in  the 
county,  containing  only  the  west  half  of  the  Congressional 
Town  32,  Range  9,  east  of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian.  For 
the  fifteen  years  ending  1875,  it  was  the  largest,  embracing 
within  its  limits  all  of  that  territory  now  constituting  Custer. 
The  first  name  given  to  the  township,  by  the  Commissioners, 
was  Clinton,  which,  however,  was  changed,  at  the  first  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  to  Reid,  in  honor  of  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  this  section.  On  the  first  maps  and  in  the  first  re- 
ports, the  orthography  of  the  name  is  found  as  here  indicated; 
but  on  the  later  maps  and  reports  it  is  spelled  as  indicated  at 
the  head  of  this  article.  For  what  reason  this  change  has  been 
made,  or  if  made  by  common  consent  or  practice — the  later 
method  being  the  more  natural  way — we  are  unable  to  inform 
our  readers. 

The  land,  for  the  most  part,  is  a  level  plain  or  prairie.  In 
some  portions,  more  especially  in  the  southern,  it  is  covered 
with  timber  of  a  small  growth.    In  this  portion  the  surface  is 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  343 

more  broken,  but  cannot  be  considered  hilly.  It  is  not  crossed 
by  any  stream  of  water,  but  all  of  that  supply  is  obtained  from 
wells.  Good  water  abounds  at  a  depth  of  from  twenty  to  forty 
feet.  The  land  is  of  a  poor  quality  for  agricultural  purposes, 
the  soil  being  quite  thin,  with  a  species  of  quicksand  under- 
lying. 

The  surface  of  the  township  of  Reed,  to  look  upon,  like  the 
apples  of  Sodom,  is  all  that  is  desirable ;  but  like  that  deceptive 
fruits  to  the  agriculturist,  it  is  only  a  source  of  sorrow.  For 
a  number  of  years  after  the  first  settlement  was  made,  and  a 
compensation  for  his  expenditure  of  strength  and  time,  it  was 
believed  that  this  section  was  a  failure  and  numerous  tracts 
were  sold  for  taxes  from  year  to  year,  and  the  epithet  "land 
poor"  seemed  to  apply  with  propriety  to  its  owners.  But  be- 
hold the  wisdom  of  the  Creator !  In  this  region,  which  man  so 
irreverently  denounced,  was  stored  by  Him,  for  many  thou- 
sand years,  an  article  for  the  use  of  man's  extremity,  which 
renders  this  one  of  the  most  valuable  tracts  in  the  State.  All 
hoarded  up,  eighty  feet  under  the  ground,  and  condensed  into 
a  small  space,  is  suddenly  found  the  fuel  with  which  to  supply 
the  deficiency  that  had  always  been  felt  existed  in  the  prairie 
country;  and,  all  at  once,  the  land  which  could  have  been 
bought  "for  a  song"  jumps  to  $100  per  acre,  and,  within  the 
space  of  ten  years,  a  city  of  five  thousand  inhabitants  buds  and 
blossoms,  as  it  were,  by  magic. 

Owing  to  a  scarcity  of  timber  and  a  want  of  water,  the 
township  was  one  of  the  latest  in  the  county  to  settle.  Twenty 
years  before,  settlements  had  been  made  along  the  Des  Plaines 
and  Kankakee.  Not  until  the  opening-up  of  the  railroad  could 
an  emigrant  be  induced  to  lose  sight  of  the  belt  of  timber  lying 
along  the  banks  of  the  streams  of  water.  When  that  event 
transpired,  and  fuel  and  other  commodities  were  transported 
to  a  distance  from  their  place  of  growth  or  manufacture,  a  life 
on  the  prairie  began  to  appear  possible,  and  this  section  began 


344  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

to  develop.  Prior  to  1854,  the  date  of  the  event  named,  prob- 
ably not  more  than  four  or  five  families  had  shown  the  hardi- 
hood to  venture  so  far  from  the  original  settlements.  William 
Higgins,  who  came  to  this  vicinity  (being  just  a  few  rods  west 
of  the  township  line,  in  Grundy  County)  in  1850,  said  that  when 
he  arrived  here,  James  Curmea  had  been  living  on  Section  6 
about  six  months.  Curmea  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  had  been 
peddling  through  the  country,  and,  becoming  tired  of  the  busi- 
ness, settled  at  the  point  mentioned.  He  entered  all  of  the 
section,  and,  though  a  large  land-owner  as  regards  real  estate, 
he  was  poor,  the  soil  proving  to  be  of  a  very  unfruitful  nature\ 
He  lived  on  his  land  until  1865,  when  the  discovery  of  coal  in 
this  section  suddenly  made  him  a  rich  man.  His  farm,  which 
had  cost  him  $1.25  per  acre,  and  which,  a  few  weeks  before, 
could  have  been  bought  for  $10,  was  considered  worth  $100; 
and  shortly  after,  he  actually  sold  it  for  the  last  price  named. 
The  tract  now  belongs  to  the  Wilmington  Company.  Curmea 
took  his  money,  removed  to  Morris  and  started  a  bank. 

William  Smith  was  a  Yankee,  from  the  hills  of  Vermont. 
He  could  scarcely  be  called  a  "settler,"  as  his  business  was  that 
of  hunting,  and  his  home  was  wherever  his  dog  and  gun  could 
be  found.  His  range  was  from  the  head  of  the  Kankakee  to 
its  mouth,  but  his  headquarters  were  in  this  township.  The 
report  of  his  rifle  years  ago  ceased  to  be  heard,  and  then  it 
was  known  that  "Smith  the  hunter"  was  gone  to  a  "happier 
hunting  ground."  Patrick  and  James  Dwyer  came  in  1850. 
Wm.  Sterrett  and  Timothy  Keane  were  also  old  settlers.  Den- 
nis Glenny  was  a  stone-cutter  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal. 
He  was  another  native  of  Erin.  He  came  to  the  township  in 
1856,  and  his  descendants  still  reside  here.  Besides  those  al- 
ready named,  there  were  but  few  who  could  lay  claim  to  being 
permanent  settlers;  and  neither  were  there  any  additional  set- 
tlements until  the  discovery  of  coal.    Even  in  1878,  there  were, 


/ 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  345 

perhaps,  not  more  than  twenty  families  outside  of  the  city 
limits. 

Though  Reed  Township  was  organized  in  1850,  the  portion 
now  embraced  in  Custer  contained,  until  1865,  nearly  all  the 
inhabitants;  and,  though  Custer  is  but  three  years  old  in  name, 
it,  and  not  Reed,  is  the  original  township;  so  that  in  reality, 
what  is  now  called  by  the  name  of  Reed,  is  a  new  town  with 
the  old  name.  The  division  occurred  in  1875,  on  the  petition  of 
citizens  of  the  eastern  portion  of  the  township.  As  now  con- 
stituted, the  west  eighteen  sections  were  organized  April,  1875. 

City  of  Braidwood. 

In  many  respects,  this  city  is  peculiar,  and  in  its  growth 
certainly  is  a  wonder;  and,  to  any  but  inhabitants  of  the  West, 
who  are  somewhat  used  to  such  phenomena  as  a  large  city 
springing  from  the  ground  in  a  decade,  it  would  be  considered 
a  marvel. 

In  1865,  where  Braidwood  now  stands,  was  nothing  but  a 
sea  of  tall  grass,  or  in  the  winter  a  boundless  field  of  snow, 
reaching  out  to  meet  the  horizon,  with  scarcely  a  cabin  inter- 
vening. As  stated  before,  it  was  considered  worthless  with  only 
a  few  farmers  who  were  almost  starving. 

In  1878,  Braidwood  had  a  population  of  5,000,  with  seven 
churches,  three  schools  and  gigantic  systems  of  mining  mach- 
inery. 

In  1864,  William  Henneberry,  while  digging  a  well  discov- 
ered the  first  coal.  He  had  already  sunk  the  well  to  a  reason- 
able depth,  but  had  failed  to  find  water.  Procuring  a  drill  he 
continued  his  search,  by  boring  to  a  greater  depth.  When  about 
eighty  feet  below  the  surface,  he  came  upon  what  proved  to  be 
a  fine  vein  of  coal.  As  soon  as  the  fact  became  known,  great 
excitement  prevailed,  and  a  shaft  was  sunk  at  a  point  known 
at  Keeversville.    This  shaft  fully  realized  the  expectations  of 


346  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

its  projectors,  and  but  a  short  time  intervened  before  works  of 
simple  character  were  erected  for  the  purpose  of  raising  the 
product. 

Individual  and  small  company  enterprises  were  thencefor- 
ward organized  with  varying  success.  The  parties  originating 
the  same  usually  having  more  enthusiasm  than  capital,  their 
efforts  generally  proved  comparative  failures. 

In  1865-66,  J.  D.  Bennett,  M.  B.  Killbourn,  C.  L.  Whitcomb, 
Seth  Turner  and  C.  D.  Wilbur  leased  some  land,  proposing  to 
operate  for  coal.  Wilbur  was  the  State  Geologist,  and  was  a 
great  enthusiast  on  the  subject  of  coal  desposits. 

Their  work  was,  however,  but  scarcely  begun,  when  a  com- 
pany of  gentlemen  from  Boston  completed  an  organization  for 
the  same  purpose,  and  Bennett  and  his  company  sold  out  to 
them.  The  Boston  organization  became  known  as  the  Wilm- 
ington &  Vermillion  Coal  Company,  J.  M.  Walker  being  the 
President,  and  A.  T.  Hall,  Treasurer.  With  ample  means  at 
their  command,  the  success  of  the  work  was  fully  assured,  and 
the  company  continued  in  successful  operation  for  forty  years. 

By  1880,  the  demand  for  coal  had  fallen  off  because  mines 
were  opened  in  other  places.  Seven  hundred  men  were  in  the 
employ  of  the  company  at  Braidwood.  Of  these  one-half  were 
colored.  The  colored  miners  worked  by  themselves.  In  the 
summer  season  the  miners  were  employed  about  one-half  of 
the  time.  They  received  eighty-five  cents  per  ton  in  the  sum- 
mer and  ninety  cents  per  ton  in  winter.  The  miners  averaged 
2~y2  tons  per  day.  Two  shafts  were  operated  to  the  capacity 
of  30,000  tons  per  month.  General  stores  operated  by  the  com- 
pany for  the  sale  of  food  and  clothing  were  common  then  as 
they  are  now. 

The  Company  employed  at  their  two  shafts,  425  men,  about 
300  of  whom  were  at  work  all  of  the  time,  the  remainder  wait- 
ing their  turn  for  employment,  which  was  given  to  all  from 
two  to  four  days  each  week.    About  130,000  tons  of  coal  were 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  347 

raised  per  year,  the  capacity  of  the  shafts  being  over  200,000. 
The  total  expense  of  the  Company  amounted  to  about  $18,000 
per  month. 

James  Braidwood  has,  perhaps  did  more  than  any  single  in- 
dividual to  develop  the  coal  industry  in  this  region;  especially, 
was  this  the  case  in  its  early  history.  He  came  from  Scotland 
to  America,  in  1863,  and  to  this  vicinity,  in  1865,  and  assisted 
in  sinking  most  of  the  early  shafts.  In  1872,  he,  in  company 
with  some  others,  sunk  the  Braidwood  shaft.  Subsequently, 
the  works  were  burned,  and,  in  1876  he  started  on  his  own 
resources,  the  shaft  later  known  as  the  Braidwood  shaft.  He 
was  not  connected  with  the  pool,  but  employed  his  men  and 
sold  his  coal  at  prices  independent  of  all  corporations,  most  of 
his  product  being  disposed  of  to  the  Bridgeport  Rolling  Mills 
at  Chicago. 

The  history  of  Braidwood  and  Reed  would  be  incomplete 
without  an  account  of  the  strike.  This  account  comes  from 
Maltby's  History.  The  panic  of  1872-73  caused  capitalists  to 
withdraw  their  money  from  manufacturers  and  other  enter- 
prises which  formerly  gave  employment  to  people  without 
money  or  credit.  Thus  thousands  of  men  and  women  all  over 
the  country  were  without  the  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood.  As 
a  consequence,  a  competition  amongst  laborers  reduced  wages, 
and  still  many,  who  would  gladly  have  worked  for  smaller  hire, 
had  nothing  to  do.  Labor  arrayed  itself  against  capital  and 
manufacturers  continued  to  withdraw  thier  means  and  invest 
in  bonds  and  mortgages  which  were  not  threatened,  and  which, 
therefore,  they  considered  safer,  though  not  affording  as  great 
profits.  This  apparent  conflict  kept  increasing  until  absolute 
necessity  on  the  one  hand  and  safety  on  the  other  have  led  to 
the  organization  of  opposite  parties.  In  1877,  this  general 
strife  culminated  in  a  strike  on  the  part  of  employes  in  all  de- 
partments requiring  labor.  Mechanics,  miners,  railroad  men 
and  common  workmen  were  infected  with  a  premature  desire 


348  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

to  suddenly  right  their  fancied  or  real  wrongs.  Trains  were 
stopped,  shops  were  closed  and  machinery  of  all  kinds  stood 
idle.  This  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  July,  1877.  On  the  1st 
of  April,  of  the  year  mentioned,  the  coal  companies  of  Braid- 
wood  had  asked  of  their  employes  a  reduction  of  15  cents  for 
Summer  and  25  cents  for  Winter  on  each  ton  of  coal  mined,  the 
reduction  to  take  effect  at  once.  The  men  would  not  accede  to 
the  terms  proposed,  and  at  once  they  stopped  work,  arguing 
that  an  unfair  advantage  was  being  taken  of  them  in  that 
many  of  them  had  bought  lots  of  the  companies  and  had  Im- 
proved the  same,  making  it  impossible  for  them  to  remove  with- 
out serious  loss.  The  companies  were  determined,  however, 
and  to  keep  their  works  in  operation  brought  in  miners  from 
other  localities,  whom  they  employed  by  the  day.  After  a 
month,  several  hundred  colored  miners  were  brought,  who  went 
to  work  for  the  companies  at  the  reduction  formerly  proposed. 
Though  deep  mutterings  were  heard  on  all  sides  and  some 
threats  were  made,  nothing  serious  took  place  and  hopes  were 
entertained  that  the  threatened  trouble  would  finally  blow 
over.  But  toward  the  last  of  July  the  general  strikes  occur- 
ring, and  riots  becoming  common  in  many  places  throughout 
the  land,  the  spirit  of  defiance  took  possession  of  the  strikers, 
and  they  determined  to  drive  out  the  "blacklegs,"  who,  upon 
being  apprised  of  the  intention  of  the  strikers,  though  promised 
protection  by  their  employers  and  the  county  authorities,  fled 
from  the  city.  Some  went  to  Wilmington,  some  to  Morris,  and 
others,  who  could  obtain  no  means  of  conveyance  for  themsel- 
ves and  families,  camped  on  the  prairie.  At  this  juncture,  the 
Sheriff  despairing  of  preserving  order,  the  Governor  was  called 
on  to  furnish  soldiers  to  quell  the  hourly-expected  outbreak. 
Accordingly,  Gov.  Cullom  ordered  1,300  soldiers  to  the  scene 
of  the  trouble,  200  of  whom  occupied  the  city  about  three  weeks, 
the  others  returning  to  their  homes  in  a  few  days.  On  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  soldiery,  the  "blacklegs"  returned  to  the  city 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  349 

and  resumed  work.  At  the  end  of  the  three  weeks  alluded  to, 
the  excitement  attending  the  riot,  as  well  as  the  disturbances 
themselves,  ceased,  railroads  were  in  operation,  factories  were 
opened,  and  business  generally  was  as  brisk  as  before,  and 
this  community  partaking  of  the  modified  sentiment  prevail- 
ing in  other  parts,  the  trouble  which  had  for  some  weeks 
threatened  bloodshed  was  at  an  end.  Many  of  the  strikers 
took  their  former  places  in  the  mines,  and  some,  with  some  of 
the  "blacklegs,"  departed  to  other  fields  of  labor.  Peace  and 
good  feeling  was  so  far  restored  that  the  visitor  saw  no  trace 
of  the  once  threatened  rebellion.  While  the  excitement  was  at 
its  highest  pitch,  Gov.  Cullom  visited  the  city  and  spoke  to  the 
people,  counseling  peace  and  good  order,  and  promising  pro- 
tection to  the  laborers  to  the  extent  of  the  full  power  of  the 
State  or  of  the  United  States  army.  The  soil  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  though  but  poorly  adapted  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, is  yet  quite  well  adapted  to  grazing  and  the  dairy  busi- 
ness, and  this  latter  industry  is  just  now  receiving  attention. 

The  history  of  Reed  Township  as  well  as  the  city  of  Braid- 
wood  is  so  closely  connected  with  the  coal  industry  that  they 
^cannot  be  separated..  In  1880,  Braidwood  had  a  population  of 
about  five  thousand.  It  was  perhaps  the  most  important  min- 
ing town  in  Illinois.  Soon  after  that,  coal  was  taken  out  in 
many  regions  farther  south.  As  they  went  southward  in  the 
State  they  found  veins  of  coal  which  were  much  thicker  than  at 
Braidwood.  Some  of  these  reached  a  thickness  of  eight  feet 
in  Franklin  County  and  at  Springfield.  These  heavier  veins 
made  it  cheaper  to  lift  coal  because  the  miner  could  take  out 
more  in  a  day.  Gradually  the  industry  weakened  at  Braid- 
wood. The  production  decreased  from  year  to  year.  In  1916, 
the  mine  at  Godley  just  a  little  ways  from  Braidwood  was 
closed.  In  1918,  the  one  at  Torino  ceased  to  operate.  In  both 
of  these  villages,  a  large  number  of  men  were  thrown  out  of 
employment.     They  removed  their  families  nearer  to  their 


350  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

work,  most  of  them  going  to  Southern  Illinois.  At  this  writ- 
ing, Godley  contains  perhaps  ten  houses  which  are  occupied. 
Torino  has  been  almost  entirely  abandoned.  Only  two  or  three 
of  the  houses  in  the  village  are  occupied  and  they  are  almost 
unfit  for  use.  In  1923,  South  Wilmington  mine  was  closed 
down.  While  this  was  in  another  county  it  has  a  part  in  our 
history  because  some  of  the  people  at  Godley,  Torino,  and 
Braidwood,  found  employment  in  South  Wilmington.  In  1928, 
one  small  mine  without  a  railroad  was  operated  north  of  Braid- 
wood.  In  July  of  that  summer,  Skinner  Brothers  sold  the  mine 
to  the  Northern  Illinois  Coal  Corporation,  familiarly  spoken 
of  as  the  "strip  mine".  This  company  closed  the  Skinner  mine 
at  once  thus  throwing  out  of  employment  60  men.  Skinner 
Brothers  almost  immediately  opened  up  the  old  mine  at  South 
Wilmington  where  they  will  give  employment  to  many  of  those 
who  worked  for  them  in  the  mine  at  Braidwood. 

This  brings  us  to  the  history  of  the  "strip  mine"  which  has 
been  in  operation  about  four  months.  The  name  of  the  com- 
pany which  operates  this  mine  was  given  above.  It  is  the  latest 
development  for  mining  coal  in  Illinois.  For  three  years  pre- 
ceding this  summer,  they  made  careful  survey  of  the  territory 
and  found  that  there  are  thirty-three  million  tons  of  coal  in 
Will  County.  This  lies  near  the  surface,  from  thirty  to  forty- 
five  and  fifty  feet  below  the  ground.  The  new  way  is  to  take  off 
the  top  soil  and  thus  leave  the  coal  exposed.  It  lies  more  or 
less  evenly  distributed  to  the  depth  of  three  feet.  After  the 
top  has  been  taken  off  the  coal  is  taken  up  by  electric  shovels 
and  placed  in  the  cars. 

The  machines  which  are  used  to  strip  off  the  covering  of 
dirt  are  the  latest  and  most  ponderous  electric  machinery.  One 
weighs  800  tons.  They  move  forward  and  backward  and  are 
adjusted  by  means  of  machinery  so  that  the  revolving  platform 
is  level  and  all  of  this  is  done  by  means  of  electricity.  One  man 
operates  the  entire  machine.    He  is  assisted  by  two  oilers  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  351 

two  pit  men  who  work  below  with  shovels  to  help  clean  up  over 
the  coal.  This  machine  is  operated  for  six  days  without  stop- 
ping, in  shifts  of  eight  hours  each.  It  moves  forward  300  feet 
in  24  hours  taking  off  soil  for  a  width  of  30  feet  exposing  three 
thousand  tons  of  coal  ready  to  be  loaded  on  the  cars.  On 
August  10,  they  took  out  twelve  hundred  tons  of  coal.  This  has 
been  the  average  run  for  a  number  of  weeks.  Another  ma- 
chine is  being  installed  which  will  make  the  capacity  three  thou- 
sand tons  a  day.  All  of  this  machinery  is  the  very  latest  for 
operation  by  electricity.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the 
strength  of  this  outfit.  One  may  get  some  conception  of  it 
when  he  knows  that  the  steel  cables  which  are  used  in  handling 
the  scoop  are  two  inches  in  diameter. 

When  the  coal  industry  of  former  years  was  at  its  heighth 
thirty  thousand  tons  a  month  was  a  good  run.  One-hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  tons  a  year  was  a  good  average.  The  re- 
cords tell  us  that  those  old  mines  had  a  capacity  of  two-hun- 
dred thousand  tons  per  year  with  five-hundred  men  employed. 
In  this  modern  way  we  have  one  machine  which  lifts  into  the 
cars  thirty  thousand  tons  a  month  with  one  hundred  thirty-five 
men  concerned  in  the  entire  operation. 

The  Rossi  Macaroni  Company  manufactures  the  Lincoln 
Brand  of  macaroni  and  spaghetti.  This  brand  is  known  for 
its  excellence  throughout  the  United  States.  The  National 
Journal  of  the  macaroni  factories  is  also  published  at  Braid- 
wood.    The  factory  employs  forty  people. 

The  clothing  factory  employs  about  thirty  giving  employ- 
ment to  young  men  and  women  who  do  piece  work  and  acquire 
skill  which  enables  them  to  make  fifteen,  eighteen,  and  twenty 
dollars  per  week. 

Two  grade  schools  are  operated,  one  in  Lower  Braidwood 
where  they  have  two  teachers  taking  care  of  about  sixty  chil- 
dren. When  the  coal  mining  industry  was  at  its  heigth  this 
school  had  six  rooms  with  an  average  attendance  of  five  hun- 


352  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

dred.  The  other  school  on  the  East  edge  of  the  village  employs 
three  teachers  in  the  grades  taking  care  of  one  hundred  chil- 
dren. This  is  less  than  one-fourth  of  what  it  was  in  the  gala 
days  for  Braidwood.  Reed-Custer  Township  High  School  is  a 
four  year  high  school  with  four  teachers  employed.  In  1928, 
the  enrollment  was  forty-seven.  It  is  a  good  school  rendering 
service  to  many  who  could  not  go  elsewhere.  Superintendent 
Dille  has  charge  of  the  high  school. 

Troy  Township. — Jedediah  Woolley,  Sr.,  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Plainfield,  but  of  that  township  it  could 
hardly  be  said  that  he  became  a  permanent  resident,  as  he 
removed  from  it  before  the  land  came  into  market.  He,  how- 
ever, lived  there  some  time,  and  there  experienced  some  of  the 
trials  and  privations  of  pioneer  life  incident  to  this  country 
at  a  period  prior  to  1835.  In  the  year  named,  he  removed  to 
Troy  Township,  made  a  claim  and  settled  permanently.  His 
son,  Jedediah  Woolley,  Jr.,  had  already  made  some  improve- 
ment, having  built  a  saw-mill  on  the  Du  Page,,  which  flows 
through  the  township.  The  saw-mill  was  completed  and  in 
operation  by  the  Fall  of  1834.  His  was  the  first  mill  enterprise 
in  Troy,  and  one  of  the  very  first  in  the  county.  It  was  looked 
upon  as  a  great  addition  to  the  industries  of  the  community, 
and  furnished  lumber  for  most  of  the  early  buildings  in  this 
vicinity.  The  canal  and  railroad,  though  dreamed  of,  had  not 
been  built,  and  the  only  commercial  communication  with  the 
village  of  Chicago  was  by  means  of  wagons,  and  so  most  of  the 
houses  prior  to  that  date  were  built  entirely  of  logs.  A  dwell- 
ing of  the  character  in  use  in  those  days  would  be  almost  a 
curiosity  now;  and,  as  compared  with  the  fine  farm  houses  and 
almost  palatial  residence  of  Troy  and  vicinity,  would,  at  least, 
be  considered  a  novelty. 

Jedediah  Woolley,  Jr.,  was  County  Surveyor  when  Will  was 
was  a  part  of  Cook  County,  and  surveyed  the  county.    A  man 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  353 

named  Chipman  was  partner  with  the  younger  Woolley  in  the 
saw-mill.  Chipman  was  from  the  State  of  Ohio.  He  did  not 
find  the  country  all  that  he  had  anticipated,  and,  after  a  short 
residence,  he  returned  to  the  Buckeye  State. 

Alf  ord  McGill,  a  son-in-law  of  the  Elder  Woolley,  moved  to 
the  township  at  the  same  time.  It  was  McGill  who  guided  the 
Knapps  and  the  Tryons  of  Channahon,  to  the  place  of  their 
location,  and  recommended  it  as  the  finest  soil  in  the  country. 
Cary  Thornton  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  but  had  lived  in 
the  State  of  New  York  prior  to  coming  here,  in  1835.  At  that 
date,  he  came  West,  and  attended  the  land  sale  and  purchased 
a  half -section  of  land.  The  next  year,  1836,  he,  with  his  brother 
William,  moved  from  New  York  to  the  land  purchased  the  year 
before,  each  occupying  one-half.  The  location  of  the  land  was 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.  Cary  Thornton  removed 
to  the  city  of  Joliet  in  1866. 

Josiah  Holden,  a  brother  of  Phineas  Holden,  who  settled  in 
New  Lenox  at  an  early  date,  was  in  the  township  as  early  as 

1836.  He  moved  away  and  died  many  years  ago.  Dr.  Alex- 
ander McGregor  Comstock,  whom,  from  the  name  we  imagine, 
to  have  been  a  Scotchman,  came  here  from  New  York,  about 

1837.  He  moved  the  city  of  Joliet  and  Hied  of  cholera,  during 
the  reign  of  that  fatal  plague  years  ago.  He  was  the  first  res- 
ident physician,  and  a  man  of  much  intelligence  and  of  excel- 
lent attainments.  Horace  Haff  was  from  the  Black  River  coun- 
try, of  New  York,  and  settled  in  this  township  about  1837.  By 
him  the  township  was  named  West  Troy,  probably  from  the 
city  of  the  same  name,  near  which  he  had  formerly  lived.  A 
portion  of  the  name  was  afterward  dropped,  leaving  it  as  we 
now  have  it.  Andrew  and  Marshall  King  came  to  this  place 
from  Indiana,  and  settled  in  the  north  part  of  the  township. 
Andrew  died  here,  October,  1849.  Marshall  moved  to  Texas, 
where  he  died  several  years  ago. 

23— VOL.  1 


354  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

After  the  settlements  already  mentioned,  but  few  additional 
were  made  for  some  years.  The  panic  of  1837,  continuing  for 
several  years,  put  a  check  upon  immigration,  and  not  until  the 
completion  of  the  Canal,  which  passes  through  the  southeast 
corner,  did  the  township  again  grow  in  population.  In  several 
ways,  the  Canal  contributed  to  the  rapid  development  of  this 
part  of  the  State.  The  works  were  pronounced  complete  in 
1848,  and  boats  began  to  ply  along  the  line.  Formerly,  grain 
and  produce  of  all  kinds  had  to  be  hauled  by  wagon  over  bad 
roads,  to  the  nearest  market,  which  was  Chicago,  and  supplies 
of  groceries  and  other  necessities  had  to  be  obtained  there  by 
the  same  means,  and,  consequently,  emigrants  looking  for 
homes,  located  at  points  where  commercial  advantages  were 
more  convenient.  When  the  Canal  was  completed,  bringing 
these  facilities  to  this  portion  of  the  State,  immediately  a  new 
impetus  was  given  to  the  settlement  of  Troy  Township.  Again, 
a  number  of  the  laborers  on  the  works  being  now  out  of  em- 
ployment, and  having  saved  some  of  their  earnings,  located  on 
the  adjacent  lands.  Quite  a  number  of  our  Irish  citizens  date 
their  arrival  in  the  township,  with  the  completion  of  the  Can- 
al. 

The  subject  of  education  has  received  its  share  of  atten- 
tion by  the  Trojans.  The  first  school  was  taught  in  a  little  log 
structure,  erected  for  that  purpose,  on  Mr.  Thornton's  place. 
This  was  about  the  year  1836  or  1837,  but  who  was  the  pioneer 
educator  is  not  now  remembered.  The  first  teacher  whose 
name  can  be  recalled  with  sufficient  distinctness  to  fix  dates, 
was  Miss  Rebecca  Boardman,  who  taught  here  in  1840-41. 
From  this  small  beginning  was  developed,  in  proportion  to  the 
development  of  the  country,  a  system  of  education  in  this  town- 
ship, that  compares  favorably  with  any  township  in  the  county. 

Though  the  Gospel  was  preached  at  an  early  date  in  this 
township,  owing  to  its  proximity  to  Joliet,  and  other  points 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  355 

where  churches  and  all  the  means  of  affording  religious  ad- 
vantages abound,  no  church-buildings  are  to  be  found  here. 

Bird's  Bridge  is  on  the  Illinois  &  Michigan  Canal,  about  five 
miles  south  of  Joliet.  It  received  its  name  from  a  man  of  the 
name  of  Bird,  who  formerly  lived  near  the  bridge,  a  hundred 
yards  below  the  place.  A  grain  warehouse  and  elevator  were 
erected  here  by  H.  S.  Carpenter,  of  Joliet,  about  the  year  1867. 

Grintonville,  or  Grinton's  Mill,  is  another  little  hamlet  on 
the  Du  Page  River,  five  miles  from  Joliet.  It  was  regularly 
laid  out  by  Wm.  Grinton  and  called  after  his  name.  Mr.  Grin- 
ton  was  an  early  settler,  and  built  a  mill  here  about  the  year 
1845.    It  was  a  three-story  building,  with  three  runs  of  buhrs. 

In  the  early  times,  when  much  of  the  clothing  was  made  at 
home,  and  the  cloth  from  which  it  was  cut  was  spun  and  woven 
there,  woolen  factories  or  carding  machines  were  common  all 
over  the  country.  Sheep  were  raised  principally  for  their  wool, 
and  nearly  all  the  product  was  consumed  in  the  neighborhood. 
Now,  a  mill  for  the  purpose  of  making  rolls,  is  a  novelty.  The 
wool-picking,  the  carding,  the  spinning,  the  weaving,  are  all 
of  the  past;  and  even  the  making  of  the  clothing,  though  there 
is  a  sewing  machine  in  almost  every  house,  is  largely  done  by 
manufacturers.  A  factory  for  the  purpose  of  converting  wool 
into  cards  preparatory  to  spinning,  was  built  here  by  the  Mc- 
Evoys;  but  for  many  years  it  has  stood  idle,  though  at  one  time 
it  did  an  extensive  business.  The  factory  was  built  about  1848 
or  1849. 

Troy  Township  made  a  splendid  beginning  with  the  mill  at 
the  river.  This  was  one  of  the  very  first  mill  enterprises  in 
Will  County  and  was  considered  a  great  advantage  to  the  in- 
dustries of  our  county.  It  furnished  lumber  for  most  of  the 
buildings  in  this  vicinity.  A  store  was  started  and  Troy  at  that 
time  promised  to  be  quite  a  town  with  possibilities  for  being  a 
city.    The  railroads  and  the  canal  passed  the  village  by  quite  a 


356  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ways  off,  and  the  village  never  increased  in  size.  At  the  pres- 
ent time,  there  are  three  or  four  houses  which  are  occupied. 
There  is  an  oil  station  and  also  a  large  dance  hall  which  is  used 
occasionally.  Bird's  Bridge  was  started  many  years  ago  when- 
the  Illinois  &  Michigan  canal  was  an  important  factor  in  trans- 
portation. This  is  still  a  good  market  for  grain.  The  Rock 
Island  Railroad  came  through  and  it  was  possible  to  ship  on 
that  road,  hence  it  has  remained  to  the  present  day  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  Grintonville  or  Grinton's  Mill  was  another 
little  hamlet  on  the  Du  Page  which  made  a  good  start  and 
ended  in  failure. 

While  no  towns  or  villages  have  developed  in  the  township, 
many  people  find  summer  residence  in  cottages  along  the  Du 
Page  River.  This  is  a  beautiful  stream  of  water  and  is  a  favor- 
ite resort  for  hundreds  of  people  each  summer. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


TOWSNSHIPS  CONTINUED. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP— BEECHER— EAGLE  LAKE-WESLEY  TOWNSHIP— 
WHEATLAND  TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND  PLOWING  MATCH— WILL  TOWN- 
SHIP—WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP— CITY  OF  WILMINGTON— WILTON  TOWN- 
SHIP—WALLINGFORD— WILTON  CENTER 

Washington  Township. — This  township  is  situated  in  the 
extreme  southeastern  part  of  the  county,  and  is  the  most  dis- 
tant from  the  county  seat  of  any  township,  being  from  its  cen- 
ter, in  a  direct  line  from  Joliet,  twenty-seven  miles  and  by  rail 
not  less  than  thirty-five.  Since  the  division  of  Reed  Township, 
this  is  one  of  the  two  greatest  in  area  in  the  county,  including 
within  its  limits  all  of  Congressional  Town  33  north  and  14 
east,  and  about  one-fourth  of  Range  15.  The  township  pres- 
ents more  than  an  ordinary  variety  of  soil  and  surface,  being 
in  some  portions  quite  flat  and  in  others  rolling;  in  some  por- 
tions a  deep,  rich  soil,  and  in  others  lacking  in  this  character. 
It  is  watered  by  the  small  stream  which  drains  Eagle  Lake, 
which  also  furnishes  stock  water  for  the  northeastern,  central 
and  southwestern  parts.  Eagle  Lake,  formerly  much  larger 
than  at  present,  covers  an  area  of  a  quarter  of  Section  7,  and 
the  swamp  adjacent,  nearly  all  of  this  and  Section  18.  Before 
the  work  of  draining  the  lake  was  begun,  hundreds  of  bushels 
of  cranberries  were  annually  produced  and  gathered  here,  but 
now  this  industry  is  destroyed. 

The  Chicago,  Danville  &  Vincennes  Railroad  passes  through 
the  western  part,  furnishing  an  outlet  for  its  products  and  a 

357 


358  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

means  of  communication  with  other  parts  of  the  country.  Prior 
to  the  completion  of  this  line,  most  of  the  marketing  was 
hauled  direct  to  Chicago,  or  shipped  by  the  Illinois  Central  at 
Peotone  or  Monee.  Most  of  the  land  in  this  township,  being 
outside  of  the  Illinois  Central  limits,  was  sold  to  original  set- 
tlers or  to  speculators  for  $1.25  per  acre,  and  was  occupied 
within  a  period  ending  about  1857. 

The  first  settler  in  the  township  was  a  man  of  the  name  of 
Jesse  Dutcher.  But  little  is  known  as  to  whence  he  came  or 
whither  he  went;  but,  in  1851,  he  was  found  here  occupying 
some  land  a  couple  of  miles  north  of  Washington  Center.  The 
line  running  through  the  Center,  and  continuing  through 
Crete,  and  thence  to  Chicago,  with  its  southern  terminus  at 
Vincennes,  Ind.,  was  the  main  traveled  road  between  these  two 
extremes,  and  was  one  of  the  most  used  thoroughfares  in  the 
State.  Marketing  of  all  kinds  was  hauled  from  Vincennes  and 
all  intermediate  points  by  way  of  this  road  to  Chicago.  As  a 
consequence,  little  settlements  sprang  up  all  along  the  line,  and 
at  short  distances,  houses  for  the  accommodation  of  the  trav- 
eler and  teamster,  and  for  the  profit  of  the  owners,  were 
opened.  These  houses  were  scarcely  deserving  of  the  name  of 
hotel  or  tavern,  but  were  owned  by  parties  who  were  opening 
farms,  and  having  built  cabins  of  more  than  ordinary  size, 
established  this  species  of  lodging-house  in  connection  with 
their  farming  operations.  Such  an  establishment  was  Dutcher 
keeping  at  the  time  remembered  by  the  earliest  settler,  in  1851, 
and  for  two  or  three  years  later.  How  long  he  had  been  there, 
we  are  unable  to  say;  but  those  who  saw  him  there  at  the  date 
named,  judging  from  the  looks  of  his  house  and  other  improve- 
ments, credit  him  with  a  half-dozen  years'  previous  residence. 
Dutcher  was  also  a  preacher,  and,  as  now  remembered,  was  of 
the  Methodist  persuasion. 

Along  this  general  highway  other  habitations  sprung  up  in 
due  time,  and  the  "big-road"  settlement  was  distinct  for  many 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  359 

miles  up  and  down  its  course.  Among  these  were  John  Rose, 
William  Strain  and  Joseph  Maxwell.  John  Rose  was  probably 
the  third  settler  in  the  township,  and  is  almost  entitled  to  the 
credit  of  being  the  first,  as  the  settlements  previously  named 
could  scarcely  be  called  permanent.  Certain  it  is  that  the  Rose 
family  is  now  the  oldest  family  in  the  bounds  of  Washington 
Township.  Mr.  Rose  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  this 
part  of  the  country  in  1851.  He  settled  on  the  west  side  of  Sec- 
tion 3,  which,  it  will  be  noticed,  is  near  the  line  of  the  former 
"big  road."  John  Rose  died  in  1858. 

William  Strain  was  also  a  native  of  Ireland.  He  came  to 
this  place  in  1852. 

Joseph  Maxwell  came  from  Ohio  with  T.  L.  Miller,  and  still 
resides  here. 

Philip  Nolan  was  also  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  this 
part  of  the  township.  Nolan  had  lived  in  Chicago  a  couple  of 
years  before  removing  to  this  vicinity  in  1851.  Joseph  White 
was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  the  early  times  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, though  his  residence  here  was  but  brief,  extending 
from  the  year  1854  till  about  1858.  It  was  at  his  house,  on  the 
Dutcher  farm,  that  the  first  township  election  was  held,  in 
1856;  and  at  this  election  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  first  Justices 
of  the  Peace.  After  the  exodus  of  Dutcher,  White  installed 
himself  as  landlord  and  farmer,  and  continued  here  until  1858, 
when  he  removed  to  Indiana. 

While  these  settlements  were  being  made,  another,  known 
at  the  time  as  "The  Settlement,"  was  being  made  in  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  township,  in  the  vicinity  of  Eagle  Lake. 
Among  the  first  settlers  in  that  neighborhood  were  Henry 
Bahlman,  Peter  Bohse,  Andrew  Carstensen,  Pade  Kruse,  Char- 
les Fuller  and  William  Bliss,  most  of  whom  have  since  removed 
to  other  places. 

By  1856,  farms  were  also  being  opened  in  the  southern  and 
western  parts  of  the  township.    The  Germans,  who  are  now 


360  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

more  than  half  owners  of  the  township,  were  beginning  to  ar- 
rive; and  by  the  year  last  named,  there  were  about  twenty  ad- 
ditional families,  among  whom  are  remembered;  Rensellaer 
and  Edwin  C.  Richards,  W.  and  C.  Lyon,  Joseph  Irish,  Horace 
Morrison,  William  and  M.  Watkins,  Richard  Lightbown,  Isaiah 
and  Stephen  Goodenow,  Robert  and  David  Dunbar,  John  B. 
Bowes,  John  Miers,  Peter  Dohse,  H.  Spanler,  John  Tatmire 
and  Aaron  and  Miles  Johnson.  The  township  was  yet  a  part 
of  Crete,  and  voted  and  transacted  all  political  business  with 
that  precinct.  In  the  year  mentioned,  however,  a  move  was 
made  toward  establishing  this  as  a  separate  precinct.  A  peti- 
tion was  prepared  and  presented  to  the  Board  of  Supervisors; 
and  no  good  reason  appearing  to  the  contrary,  an  election  for 
the  purpose  of  organization  and  for  selecting  township  officers 
was  by  them  ordered  to  take  place  on  the  1st  Tuesday  of  April, 
1856.  As  has  been  stated,  the  election  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Joseph  White,  and  the  record  which  is  still  extant  indicates 
that  there  were  thirty  voters  present. 

The  oldest  organized  church  in  the  township  is  St.  John's 
Evangelical  Lutheran,  near  Eagle  Lake.  This  organization 
was  accomplished  in  1850;  but,  as  has  already  been  stated,  there 
were  not  more  than  two  families  resident  in  Washington  Town- 
ship, and  they,  as  has  been  intimated  being  of  other  belief;  in 
regard  to  religious  matters,  it  will  be  surmised  that  the  organi- 
zation could  not  have  been  effected  here.  The  church  was  at 
first  established  a  mile  north  of  its  present  location,  in  the 
township  of  Crete.  A  building  for  religious  and  educational 
purposes  was  erected  there  at  the  date  named,  and  church 
and  school  were  kept  open  there  until  1864.  Rev.  Gustav  Pol- 
lack was  the  organizer  of  the  enterprise,  and  was  Pastor  for 
fifteen  years.  In  1864,  it  having  been  determined  to  build  a 
new  house  of  worship,  a  new  location  was  selected  for  the  same, 
though  school  has  been  kept  open  at  the  old  site  till  the  present 
time. 


ELLIOTT  STREET,   BEECHER,  ILL. 


^\CvN\      <b.CVv^O^  \J&Ct*<5e»\?-S 


HIGH   SCHOOL,   LOCKPORT,    ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  361 

St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  located  a  mile 
northwest  of  Beecher,  was  organized  in  the  Spring  of  1865,  by 
Rev.  Gustav  Pollack,  who  had  been  preaching  in  this  vicinity. 

St.  John's  German  United  Evangelical  Church,  located  two 
miles  southeast  of  Beecher,  was  established  and  an  organiza- 
tion effected  in  1864.  Rev.  Peter  Lehman  had  been  preaching 
in  the  vicinity  for  a  year  before,  and  organized  the  society  at 
the  date  named,  with  a  membership  of  forty  families.  After 
the  Church  had  been  established,  Rev.  Philip  Albert  was  in- 
stalled as  Pastor,  and  acted  as  such  for  two  years. 

The  Congregational  Church,  at  the  village  of  Beecher,  was 
organized  January,  1872,  the  house  of  worship  having  been 
erected  the  year  before.  The  original  members  were  eight  in 
number. 

Doubtless,  the  most  interesting  industry,  and  at  the  same 
time  one  which  has  given  the  little  village  of  Beecher  a  reputa- 
tion co-extensive  with  the  whole  country,  is  the  breeding  of 
fine  stock,  as  carried  on  by  T.  L.  Miller,  Esq.,  of  this  place. 

Mr.  Miller  came  to  this  place  in  1852,  and  located  land,  pre- 
paratory to  embarking  in  the  gigantic  enterprise  in  which  he 
is  now  engaged.  He  did  not,  however,  begin  operations  until 
1861,  in  the  mean  time  engaging  in  other  business  in  Chicago. 
In  the  year  last  named,  he  removed  to  this  place,  and  from 
that  time  till  1870  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  in  a  small  way, 
and  with  no  definite  idea  of  future  plans  or  prospects.  During 
all  this  time,  however,  he  carried  on  an  extensive  correspond- 
ence, and  conducted  a  thorough  course  of  investigation  and 
experiment,  so  that  in  1870,  his  mind  was  fully  made  up,  and 
his  future  plans  fully  mapped  out.  Then  began  the  great  work 
that  has  not  only  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the 
United  States,  but  which  led  to  a  grand  success.  After  a  care- 
ful study  and  minute  consideration,  he  decided,  much  against 
the  then  popular  opinion  of  the  leading  cattle  men  of  this 
country,  to  adopt  the  Hereford  breed.    The  Durham  cattle  had 


362  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

for  years  been  accorded,  by  breeders  of  this  country  and  the 
landed  gentry  of  England,  the  first  place  as  beef-producing 
cattle.  For  nearly  a  century  the  short-horn  breeds  had  held 
the  prestige,  though  the  Heref ords  were  accredited  with  being 
good  stock.  A  few  feeble  attempts  had  been  made  in  this  coun- 
try, prior  to  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Miller's  enterprise,  to 
introduce  the  stock;  but  the  great  character  of  the  competing 
herds  already  attained  so  overshadowed  them  that  their  efforts 
in  this  direction  were  almost  lost  sight  of.  When,  therefore, 
Mr.  Miller  announced  his  intention  of  breeding  the  Hereford 
stock,  he  was  not  looked  upon  as  a  competitor,  but  was  re- 
garded with  feelings  akin  to  pity.  Even  his  warmest  friends 
could  not  but  feel  apprehensive  of  his  ultimate  failure;  and, 
perhaps,  no  one  but  himself  discerned  the  grand  success  with 
which  his  efforts  have  been  crowned.  After  awhile,  however, 
he  began  to  be  recognized  as  a  competitor;  and  since  that  time, 
he  fought  his  way,  foot  by  foot,  until,  if  his  cattle  do  not  stand 
pre-eminent,  they  at  least  bear  the  reputation  of  equal  merit 
with  any  herd  or  breed  in  the  world.  When  it  is  considered 
that  all  of  this  change  in  sentiment,  in  the  face  of -such  gigantic 
opposition,  during  a  time  of  such  severe  financial  depression, 
has  been  wrought  almost  by  one  man,  we  come  either  to  one 
or  the  other  of  two  conclusions:  that  the  character  of  stock 
which  Mr.  Miller  handles  must  be  of  a  superior  quality,  or  that 
he  is  a  man  of  much  more  than  ordinary  courage,  good  man- 
agement and  pluck.  Perhaps  it  would  not  be  incorrect  to  credit 
the  enterprise  with  both  of  these  advantages. 

Beecher. — T.  L.  Miller  had  begun  his  fine  stock  enterprise, 
secured  the  location  of  a  station  here,  and  laid  out  and  named 
the  new  town.  Thenceforward  the  growth  of  the  Center  was 
checked,  and  the  station  became  the  point,  from  which  improve- 
ments have  widened  until  the  village  of  Beecher  has  not  only 
over-shadowed  the  Center,  but  by  building  out  toward  it,  has 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  363 

nearly  enveloped  it  in  itself.  Beecher  was  laid  out  in  1870  by 
George  Dolton,  for  T.  L.  Miller,  and  commenced  at  once  to  build 
up,  and  develop  a  trade  which  compares  favorably,  at  this 
time,  with  towns  three  times  as  old.  As  we  have  seen,  Metter- 
hausen  opened  the  first  store  in  the  village,  in  what  proves  to 
have  been  the  second  building  erected,  and  which  also  proves 
to  have  been  the  first  store-building.  Metterhausen  had  been 
a  teacher  in  the  Lutheran  school. 

James  Burns  built  the  first  house — a  dwelling — and  sold 
lumber  for  a  few  months  and  then  removed  to  Michigan,  from 
whence  he  had  come. 

Shortly  after  this,  Henry  Bielfeldt  built  and  opened  a  hotel. 
Carl  Melow  moved  his  blacksmith-shop  from  the  Corners  in 
1871,  and  Rudolph  Pecht  opened  a  furniture  store.  Fred 
Schmidt  built  a  second  hotel,  and  John  R.  Miller  moved  the  old 
dancing  hall  from  the  Corners  and  put  in  a  second  stock  of 
goods.  William  Struve,  formerly  of  Monee,  followed  Burns  in 
the  lumber  and  coal  business.  By  and  by  the  post  office  was 
removed  from  the  Corners  to  Metterhausen's,  and  he  was 
appointed  postmaster.  Elliot  Miller,  son  of  T.  L.  Miller  and  now 
partner  in  the  firm  of  L.  Gould  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  was  appointed 
first  station  agent.  About  this  time,  T.  L.  Miller  built  the  first 
warehouse,  and  Henry  Block  commenced  buying  grain,  eventu- 
ally buying  the  warehouse  and  continuing  the  business  until 
the  present.  The  period  extending  from  1870  to  1873,  was  a 
lively  one  for  this  vicinity.  The  sounds  of  the  ax,  hammer  and 
saw  were  heard  in  all  directions,  new-comers  were  arriving 
almost  daily,  and,  by  the  end  of  the  period  named,  the  village 
had  grown  in  size  and  importance  to  proportions  hardly  ex- 
pected by  its  most  enthusiastic  friends. 

Eagle  Lake  is  a  little  village  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
township.  It  derived  its  name  from  a  lake  of  the  same  name 
which  no  longer  is  there,  the  water  having  been  drained  out 
forty-five  years  ago.    In  its  place  is  farming  land  of  unusual 


364  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

fertility,  with  a  deep  soil  rich  in  humus.  The  village  contains 
about  one  dozen  houses,  most  of  which  are  occupied.  The  store, 
the  post  office  and  the  saloon  ceased  years  ago.  The  church 
and  the  school,  public  and  parochial,  survive. 

Washington  Township  did  not  see  permanent  settlers  until 
1851.  It  has  made  more  progress  since  then  than  most  of  the 
townships  in  the  development  of  agriculture,  transportation 
and  in  the  business  interests  of  the  town  of  Beecher. 

This  was  one  of  the  towns  which  had  very  little  drainage 
and  much  of  the  land  was  flat  and  low  and  appeared  too  wet  for 
farming  when  the  first  settlers  came.  Drainage  has  made  it 
possible  to  cultivate  all  of  the  land.  The  soil  is  fertile  and  yields 
good  crops  of  grain.  In  the  last  decade  the  farmers  have  de- 
voted themselves  very  largely  to  dairying.  The  Dixie  High- 
way which  runs  through  this  township  from  North  to  South 
was  a  great  incentive  in  this  work.  Large  trucks  gather  the 
milk  each  day,  thus  making  it  unnecessary  for  farmers  to  haul 
it  very  far.  A  good  stone  road  crosses  the  township  from  East 
to  West  on  the  central  line.  Two  other  roads  from  the  East 
connect  with  the  Dixie  Highway.  There  three  hard  roads  give 
the  farmers  easy  access  to  the  permanent  concrete  road.  The 
village  of  Beecher  contains  a  bottling  plant  which  takes  care 
of  large  quantities  of  milk  each  day  and  ships  it  out  for  con- 
sumption in  other  cities  both  North  and  South.  The  farmers 
are  progressive  in  every  way.  Washington  Township  usually 
takes  the  lead  in  the  number  of  members  in  the  Will  County 
Farm  Bureau.  They  apply  the  latest  methods  in  maintaining 
the  productiveness  of  the  soil. 

The  city  of  Beecher  prospers  in  all  the  lines  of  business 
found  there.  The  town  is  well  kept  with  good  stores,  good 
homes  with  well  kept  lawns  and  is  a  good  place  to  live.  We 
enumerate  the  business  establishments  because  that  it  is  a 
quick  way  to  show  what  the  business  it:  General  Merchandise, 
Stade  Bros.,  and  Storch  &  Stelling;  Dry  Goods,  George  A. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  365 

Batterman;  Meats,  W.  F.  Myrick;  Garages,  C.  Bockelman  and 
Henry  Wehmhoefer.  Two  soft  drink  establishments,  Chas. 
Stadt  and  Westenfeldt  &  Thornau;  Elevator,  Wm.  Warner; 
Hardware,  Emil  Koch;  Lumber,  Ruge  &  Rehn.  Two  doctors 
take  care  of  the  health  of  the  people,  Dr.  M.  R.  Miley  and  Dr. 
Van  Voorhis  and  John  Wehrley  sells  what  drugs  they  need  to- 
gether with  soft  drinks;  Wm.  Paul  looks  after  the  beauty  of 
the  community  and  sells  them  jewelry.  Rev.  Wm.  H.  L.  Schultz 
is  the  pastor  of  the  Evangelical  Church  which  is  a  prosperous 
organization.  There  is  a  large  number  of  families  in  the  con- 
gregation. 

The  city  of  Beecher  maintains  water  works  which  are  very 
effective  and  a  Police  Department  which  renders  good  service. 
A  community  hall  has  been  arranged  for  by  a  vote  @f  the  peo- 
ple and  plans  are  under  way  for  the  same. 

Beecher  has  always  maintained  good  public  schools.  The 
building  is  a  two  story  brick  structure  which  houses  the  grade 
school  and  a  three  year  High  School.  Supt.  H.  A.  Mayhue  has 
charge  of  all  of  the  schools.  The  three  year  High  School  is 
well  attended  by  the  students  of  the  district  and  those  that 
come  from  the  surrounding  rural  section.  The  fourth  year  is 
usually  taken  at  Chicago  Heights.  The  students  habe  good  re- 
cords in  the  Chicago  Heights  High  School.  The  parochial  school 
is  maintained  in  connection  with  the  Evangelical  Church.  Two 
teachers  are  employed.  They  are  capable  and  use  the  best 
modern  methods  in  their  institution.  The  eighth  grade 
students  take  the  final  examination  which  is  given  by  the  Coun- 
ty Superintendent  of  Schools  and  always  acquit  themselves  with 
credit. 

Wesley  Township. — Before  the  Black  Hawk  troubles,  prob- 
ably, no  white  man  had  ever  considered  the  part  of  the  county 
now  called  Wesley  Township  his  home,  no  traces  of  white  men's 
cabins,  or  other  improvements  being  detected  two  years  later. 


366  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

John  Williams,  who  still  resides  in  the  township,  says  that, 
when  he  first  visited  the  place,  in  the  Fall  of  1833,  there  were 
no  indications  that  it  had  ever  before  been  inhabited  except  by 
Indians,  and  that  his  little  cabin,  erected  at  that  time,  was  the 
first  domicile  of  that  nature  ever  erected  here.  Williams  was 
from  the  Old  Dominion,  formerly,  but  had  come  to  the  vicinity 
of  Danville  in  1831,  and  was  living  there  when  the  war  broke 
out.  In  1833,  he  came  to  Joliet,  and  from  there  out  to  this 
place,  to  select  some  land,  split  rails  and  build  a  cabin,  pre- 
paratory to  making  a  permanent  settlement  the  next  Spring. 
In  May  of  the  next  year,  1834,  he  moved  to  the  place,  occupied 
his  land  and  began  making  other  improvements. 

Though  Williams  was  the  first  to  make  an  improvement  in 
Wesley  Township,  he  was  preceded  two  weeks  in  its  occupa- 
tion. When  Williams  came  to  occupy  his  new  home,  he  found 
George  M.  Beckwith,  Andrew  Pettijohn  and  Absalom  Hey- 
worth  already  here,  and  learned  that  they  had  left  Indiana 
about  a  month  before,  and  had  arrived  here  after  a  journey 
of  twelve  days.  Beckwith's  brother,  Daniel  W.,  had  been  em- 
ployed by  the  Government  to  survey  this  portion  of  the  State, 
and  from  him  he  had  learned  of  the  character  of  the  country, 
and  had  moved  out.  George  M.  Beckwith  was  a  lawyer,  or  at 
least  practiced  a  little  in  the  lower  courts,  and  before  Justice 
of  the  Peace.  He  was  also  a  good  farmer.  He  died  in  1845, 
of  what  is  sometimes  termed  "milk-sickness." 

A  few  weeks  after  Williams  settled  in  his  new  home,  John 
and  Alexander  Frazier  and  James  W.  &  Joseph  Kelley,  from 
the  same  neighborhood  in  Virginia  made  their  appearance  in 
the  community.  These  were  men  whose  coming  would  be  a 
source  of  congratulation  to  any  neighborhood,  and  at  any  time ; 
but  at  the  time  of  which  we  write  were  they  especially  wel- 
come. John  Frazier  was  a  man  of  education,  and  proved  to 
be  one  of  the  most  useful  and  influential  citizens  of  the  town- 
ship.   He  was  the  first  Supervisor  of  Wilmington  Township, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  367 

when  Wesley  constituted  a  portion  of  it;  and,  upon  the  division, 
he  was  elected  to  the  same  office  from  this  precinct.  There  was 
hardly  a  position  of  responsibility  and  trust  but  that  he  has 
filled,  and  that  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  his 
constituents.  Arthur  Potts  and  Robert  Watkins,  from  Vir- 
ginia, and  Hamilton  Keeney,  from  the  same  State,  emigrated 
to  this  place  a  little  later,  arriving  in  the  Fall  of  1834.  Watkins 
was  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  some  education.  He  was  one 
of  the  early  Justices  of  the  Peace,  being  elected  to  the  office 
before  the  township  was  organized.  Hamilton  Keeney  was 
also  a  leading  man. 

During  the  year  1835,  quite  a  number  of  new  settlers  made 
claims  and  occupied  land,  among  whom  are  remembered  J.  T. 
Davis,  George  Gay,  T.  McCarty,  Wesley  Carter  and  Griffy 
Davis.  J.  T.  Davis  was  an  old  veteran  of  the  Revolutionary 
war;  was  in  Washington's  army,  and  in  the  important  capture 
of  the  Hessians  at  Trenton. 

William  Forbes,  William  Goodwin,  John  Strunk,  Henry 
Moore,  Joseph  Hadsel,  Daniel  McGilvery,  John  G.  Putnam  and 
Elias  Freer  came  in  during  the  two  years  ending  1837.  Forbes 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and,  like  Davis,  was  fond  of 
entertaining  his  friends  with  incidents  of  his  soldier  life.  He 
was  a  millwright,  and  in  this  trade  he  is  said  to  have  excelled. 

By  the  year  1845,  many  more  had  joined  the  settlement, 
prominent  among  whom  were  James  Gould,  John  Kilpatrick, 
Anson  Packard,  David  Willard,  B.  F.  Morgan,  Richard  Binney, 
Robert  Kelly  and  William  Killy.  Their  names  are  given  as 
nearly  in  the  order  of  their  coming  as  can  now  be  remembered. 
James  Gould  was  one  of  the  most  solid  men  of  the  township. 
He  grew  quite  wealthy,  and  when  he  died,  left  a  large  estate, 
all  of  which  was  accumulated  here.  John  Kilpatrick  was  also 
a  good  citizen,  and  left  to  the  world  a  legacy  of  value — a  good 
family.  Hon.  David  Willard  is  a  native  of  New  York.  When 
he  first  came  to  the  county,  he  was  employed  as  a  laborer  by 


368  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Peter  Stewart.  He  is  a  man  of  high  standing,  politically  and 
socially.  He  has  served  the  county  eight  years  as  County 
Judge,  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  gave  the  most  eminent 
satisfaction.  B.  F.  Morgan  is  also  of  New  York.  He  has 
gained  the  enviable  reputation  of  being  a  good  citizen.  Rich- 
ard Binney  was  a  native  of  New  York.  He  was  a  man  of  worth 
and  a  successful  farmer.  William  Killy  was  from  the  Isle  of 
Man.  All  that  can  be  said  of  a  good  citizen  can  be  truthfully 
said  of  him. 

What  is  now  Wesley  Township  was  the  favorite  territory 
for  the  Red  Man  who  found  here  timber,  water,  and  abundant 
game  together  with  the  fish  which  were  in  the  stream.  The 
villages  were  maintained  for  many  generations  before  the 
White  Man  knew  of  this  region. 

Settlers  came  into  the  township  as  early  as  1834.  They  were 
attracted  by  the  same  things  which  attracted  the  Indians  and 
also  by  the  soil  which  was  easily  cultivated,  and  while  it  was 
virgin  yielded  good  crops.  Much  of  the  land  is  light  soil  bet- 
ter suited  to  small  grain  than  to  corn.  Winter  wheat  has  al- 
ways been  raised  in  large  quantities.  Spring  wheat  is  still  a 
favorite  crop  because  the  soil  can  be  cultivated  early  in  the 
season.  The  farmers  are  progressive  and  prosperous.  Some 
of  the  most  modern  farm  machinery  is  in  use  in  this  township 
this  year.  The  "Combine"  which  delivers  the  grain  ready  for 
market  is  used  to  good  advantage.  Tractors  with  all  of  the 
appliances  which  go  with  them  are  numerous  throughout  the 
township. 

The  village  of  Ritchey  has  been  going  backward  for  some 
time.  Transportation  facilities  are  not  as  good  here  as  in  other 
parts  of  the  county.  The  coming  of  the  concrete  road  from 
Kankakee  to  Wilmington  will  aid  this  village  and  the  surround- 
ing territory.  "Wesley  on  the  Kankakee"  has  become  quite  a 
resort  for  people  who  seek  to  get  away  from  the  city  during 
the  summer  months.    It  is  a  beautiful  place  on  wooded  ground 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  369 

which  slopes  down  to  the  Kankakee  River.    Many  cottages  are 
found  here  together  with  hotel  facilities  for  transients. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  the  Wabash  Railroad  moved  their 
tracks  to  the  west  to  straighten  out  a  bad  curve.  This  left  the 
old  village  of  Ritchey  without  a  railroad.  Very  little  has  been 
developed  along  the  new  line.  A  grain  elevator  has  been  main- 
tained which  affords  a  market  for  the  farmers.  A  post  office 
is  still  maintained  at  the  village  of  Ritchey  together  with  a 
church  which  is  open  at  intervals  under  the  Methodist  denomi- 
nation. A  one-room  school  house  is  the  same  which  was  in 
use  sixty  years  ago. 

Wheatland  Township,  designated  as  Township  37  North, 
Range  9,  East  of  the  Third  Principal  Meridian  is  in  the  North- 
west corner  of  the  county.  With  two  or  three  exceptions,  it 
remained  unsettled  until  after  1840.  This  was  due  to  two 
things,  the  first  that  it  was  almost  entirely  prairie,  only  a  few 
acres  of  timber  being  found  in  the  extreme  northeast  corner; 
the  second  was  that  it  was  not  surveyed  until  after  1838.  The 
first  settlers  were  not  attracted  to  the  prairies.  They  needed 
wood  and  water,  and  found  both  of  these  near  the  forests.  Wood 
was  needed  for  buildings  and  fences  as  well  as  for  fuel.  Water 
was  needed  for  man  and  for  beast.  They  came  from  wooded 
countries  and  were  attracted  to  the  trees  in  the  new  homes. 
All  of  the  soil  was  virgin  and  produced  excellent  crops,  but  they 
did  not  foresee  what  is  now  recognized  by  all  farmers.  And 
yet,  the  township  which  has  been  settled  longest,  is  producing 
good  crops  and  more  rural  folks  live  in  Homer  Township  than 
in  other  townships  in  the  county.  None  of  the  land  in  Wheat- 
land Township  was  put  upon  the  market  until  it  was  surveyed. 
After  1838,  people  were  attracted  to  Wheatland. 

Isaac  Foster  settled  in  the  south  part  in  1837.  This  was 
really  a  part  of  the  settlement  at  Plainfield.  Josiah  B.  Wight- 
man  came  in  in  1838;  L.  G.  Colgrove  and  Chester  Ingersoll,  in 

24— VOL.  1 


370  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1839;  Simeon  B.  Tyler  in  1841  and  Anthony  Freeland  in  1842. 
All  of  these  were  on  the  east  side  of  the  DuPage  River. 

The  settlers  seemed  to  come  in  groups,  or  waves.  The  fol- 
lowing lists  are  taken  from  the  History  of  Will  County,  pub- 
lished by  Le  Baron  &  Company  in  1878: 

"In  1843,  there  was  a  considerable  addition  to  the  township. 
Wm.  McMicken  and  John  McMicken  who  were  directly  from 
Scotland,  settled  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the 
township.  In  this  year  came  also  Wm.  Cotton,  A.  B.  Cotton, 
James  Robins,  John  Robins,  and  Fitzjames  Robins,  English- 
men from  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  eGorge  W.  Brown,  from  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Joseph  B.  Wait,  E.  T.  Durant,  Warren  W. 
Boughton,  P.  Haviland,  and  Asa  Canfield  from  New  York;  and 
Wm.  Kinley  from  the  Isle  of  Man;  and  Julius  Piedlaw  and 
John  Martin  from  Canada. 

"In  1844,  Stephen  Findlay  and  sons  founded  the  Scotch  set- 
tlement in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  town  at  and  about 
Tamarack  Post  Office.  In  the  same  year  Robert  Clow  and  his 
five  sons,  Robert  Jr.,  Adam,  William,  and  Thomas,  and  a  little 
later  another  son,  John  H.  The  Clows  were  Scotch,  but  had 
tarried  a  few  years  in  the  State  of  New  York  before  finally 
coming  to  Wheatland  where  they  entered  1080  acres  embrac- 
ing Section  15  and  part  of  14  and  10.  H.  N.  Marsh  who  was 
then  editor  of  the  True  Democrat,  making  a  census  of  the 
county,  makes  special  mention  of  the  Clow  plantation,  of  the 
white  school  house,  and  the  fat  beeves  and  toothsome  cheese 
of  D,  W.  Cropsy. 

"The  same  year  (1844)  came  Mungo  Patterson,  Daniel 
Catchpole,  Jacob  Spaulding,  George  Wheeler,  and  Elias  Myers. 
The  Scotch  Church  was  organized  in  1847  by  Rev.  Mr.  Oburn, 
and  the  house  of  worship,  which  is  such  a  conspicuous  land- 
mark to  the  travelers  over  the  prairie,  one  mile  north  of  Tam- 
arack Post  Office,  was  erected  in  1847. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  371 

"In  1843,  the  following  persons  settled  in  the  Northwest 
part  of  the  township,  and  gave  the  neighborhood  the  name  of 
the  Vermont  Settlement:  David  L.  Davis,  G.  Washington  Davis, 
and  their  aged  father,  Jonathan  Davis,  and  Levi  Blanchard. 
In  1844,  Laton  Rice,  also  from  Vermont,  with  his  five  sons,  Al- 
phonso,  John  L,  Asahel,  Philander,  and  Isaac,  in  company  with 
Rudolph  Houghton  and  General  Davis  and  their  families,  mak- 
ing the  journey  from  Vermont  with  their  own  teams,  camping 
out  night,  after  a  journey  of  forty-four  days,  reached  the  same 
settlement  and  became  a  part  thereof  in  October  of  1844.  (Als- 
phonso  Rice  was  one  of  Wheatland's  contributions  for  the  war 
for  the  Union,  laying  down  his  life  at  Champion  Hills  in  1863). 
To  this  Vermont  settlement  there  was  added  in  1845:  Jacob 
Yaggy  (German),  Edwin  Lillie  (Vermonter),  and  in  1846,  La- 
bon  Clark  and  family,  and  in  1847,  Willard  Hayward,  and  in 
1850  Zidon  Edson  and  Dr.  Allen  and  families. 

"In  1844  or  1845,  the  following  persons  settled  east  of  the 
Du  Page:  F.  Boardman  and  A.  S.  Thomas,  and  Sumner  Hemin- 
way,  on  west  side. 

"In  1846,  and  the  three  or  four  following  years,  the  popu- 
lation of  the  town  increased  rapidly,  and  among  the  later  set- 
tlers were  many  Pennsylvania  Dutch,  and  Germans  from  the 
fatherland.  They  are  the  staid  and  substantial  people  that 
they  are  everywhere  they  settle." 

At  the  time  of  this  writing,  Wheatland  ranks  high  in  agri- 
culture. It  is  strictly  rural  being  without  any  town  or  village. 
Tamarack  Post  Office  promised  to  be  a  town  for  a  few  years 
for  here  were  post  office  and  store  school  and  shop  but  rural 
mail  routes  forced  the  post  office  out  of  existence  and  most 
people  have  forgotten  that  Tamarack  Post  Office  ever  existed. 
Being  strictly  rural,  the  township  has  had  a  marked  develop- 
ment in  agriculture.  Some  of  the  best  farmers  in  Will  County 
are  found  in  Wheatland  Township.    The  institution  which  is 


372  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

famed  throughout  the  nation  is  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match. 
This  is  so  well  known  that  no  history  of  Wheatland  Township 
would  be  complete  without  a  full  account  of  this  wonderful  or- 
ganization. 

Time  has  brought  many  changes  in  the  machines  used  at 
this  match.  Transportation  facilities  have  improved  and  auto- 
mobiles have  made  a  larger  attendance  possible.  Ten  thou- 
sand people  at  one  match  is  a  common  record  while  fair 
weather  will  double  that  number. 

The  history  which  follows  is  authentic  and  reveals  many  of 
the  same  family  names  given  in  the  list  of  first  settlers. 

"Historical  sketch  of  The  Wheatland  Plowing  Match  Asso- 
ciation together  with  the  program  for  the  1927  match,  cele- 
brating the  Golden  Anniversary  of  the  Association.  W.  Han- 
ley  Thomas  Farm,  Saturday,  September  17. 

"Officers — Wheatland  Plowing  Match  Association  1926- 
1927.  John  W.  Patterson,  President;  Herman  Staff eldt,  Vice- 
President;  James  Patterson,  Secretary;  Dale  Mottinger,  Trea- 
surer. 

Departmental  Heads 

Wheatland  Plowing  Match  Association 

1926-1927 

Superintendent  Dining  Tables,  Mrs.  Florence  Boughton; 
Superintendent  Ladies  Fair,  Mrs.  Agnes  Boughton;  Superin- 
tendent Tents,  R.  J.  Patterson;  Superintendent  Grain  Show, 
Louis  Tower;  Boys  Club  Work,  L.  A.  Matter;  Girls  Club  Work, 
Mrs.  Effie  Matter;  chairman  Pageant  Committee,  Daniel  Stief- 
gold;  Superintendent  Headquarters,  John  Patterson;  Super- 
intendent Plowing,  John  Brown,  Jr. ;  A.  S.  Thomas,  1st  Secre- 
tary, 1877;  George  Boardman,  Historial,  1926-1927. 

Fifty  years  ago — and  now!  In  all  fields  of  man's  efforts 
what  changes  have  occurred !  Men  and  women  now  living  can 
well  recall  the  tremendous  revolutions  which  have  taken  place. 
Fifty  years  is  not  long  in  which  to  measure  history,  but  during 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  373 

no  fifty  years  perhaps  have  more  radical  changes  and  develop- 
ments taken  place  than  within  the  fifty  years  spanned  by  the 
existence  of  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match  Association. 

Almost  as  revolutionary  as  collateral  developments  have 
been  the  changes  within  the  Association,  and  in  the  Match  it- 
self. Fifty  years  ago,  horse  drawn,  walking  plows  were  the 
sole  entries  in  the  match.  Today,  all  classes  of  plows,  from  those 
similar  to  the  ones  used  fifty  years  ago,  to  the  most  modern, 
tractor  drawn,  gang  plows  compete  for  prizes  under  the  rules 
set  up  by  the  founders  of  the  Match. 

These  fifty  years  have  seen  the  coming  of  so  many  modern 
developments  that  one  cannot  attempt  to  name  them.  But 
when  it  is  recalled  that  every  one  who  attended  the  first  Match 
came  in  horse  drawn  vehicles,  or  on  foot;  never  had  heard  of 
a  telephone,  an  electric  light,  a  radio,  an  airplane,  a  gasoline 
engine,  a  paved  country  road ;  had  no  delivery  of  mail  to  his 
home,  no  modern  conveniences  of  any  nature  in  his  home,  knew 
little  of  what  the  rest  of  the  world  was  doing;  the  tremendous 
advancement  of  mankind  during  this  fifty  years  become  ap- 
parent. 

And  if  this  Association  exists  another  fifty  years,  as  well  it 
may,  readers  of  this  book  will  be  no  less  amazed  at  the  advance- 
ments made  during  that  span  of  time  than  we  are  at  the 
achievements  of  the  past  years.  Free  intercourse  with  every 
part  of  the  world  by  air  will  have  become  as  common  as  our 
more  limited  transportation  between  our  own  states  and  sec- 
tions of  the  country.  Radio  will  have  made  possible  instant 
knowledge  of  what  all  the  myriads  of  mankind  are  doing, 
wherever  they  may  be.  Science  will  have  developed  new 
sources  of  power,  through  which  mankind  will  have  been  re- 
leased from  much  of  the  drudgery  of  toil.  Agriculture  will 
have  taken  its  proper  place  among  the  other  essential  indus- 
tries of  the  nation,  and  a  proper  reward  for  those  engaged  in 
it  will  have  been  made  possible. 


374  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"All  these  things  and  more  are  not  one-half  as  hard  to  con- 
ceive as  the  happenings  of  the  fifty  years  covered  in  the  life- 
time of  this  organization. 

"As  an  unknown  writer  thirty  years  ago  said,  when  writing 
a  sketch  of  the  first  twenty  years  of  the  Wheatland  Plowing 
Match,  "An  accurate  historical  sketch  of  that  laudable  and 
splendid  institution  known  as  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match 
will  in  all  probability,  never  be  written."  Certain  facts,  car- 
ried in  the  current  press  of  the  time,  are  available,  and  have 
been  carefully  scanned  and  compiled.  Other  facts  are  neither 
available  from  such  sources,  nor  from  the  minds  of  those  who 
were  young  when  the  Match  was  born,  and  now  are  old. 

"Into  this  brief  history  cannot  be  brought  any  of  the  wealth 
of  detail  and  happy  incident  which  has  made  the  Match  a 
source  of  pleasure  for  so  many  thousands  of  lives  during  the 
fifty  years  gone  by.  What  lives  have  been  influenced;  what 
untold  stories,  as  a  result  of  the  matches  during  these  fifty 
years,  never  can  be  known,  or  told  in  this  sketch. 

"An  effort  has  been  made  to  confine  this  history  to  such 
facts  as  are  authentic  and  verified,  and  eliminate  many  details 
which  would  not  be  of  interest  to  present  day  readers. 

"Wheatland  Township  from  which  the  Match  is  named,  and 
where  it  is  always  held,  is  situated  in  the  extreme  northwest 
corner  of  Will  County.  It  was  settled  in  1837  by  Isaac  Foster; 
in  1838  by  Josiah  Wightman;  in  1839  by  L.  G.  Colgrove,  Chester 
Ingersoll  and  others.  A  church  was  organized  in  1847,  by  Rev. 
M.  Oburn.  Elizabeth  Hoag  taught  the  first  school,  at  a  date 
unknown,  but  about  the  same  time. 

"The  settlers  of  Wheatland  Township  included  many 
Scotchmen  and  Englishmen,  whose  hardy,  pioneer  natures  were 
well  adapted  to  the  work  of  building  fertile  farms  and  estab- 
lishing homes  on  the  productive  soil.  Thrifty  and  industrious, 
these  Scotch  and  English  settlers  left  descendants  like  them- 
selves, and  many  of  the  leaders  of  this  section  of  the  country 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  375 

trace  their  line  to  these  first  pioneer  folk  of  Wheatland.  Among 
the  early  families  which  are  still  represented  by  present  day 
families  in  the  township  are  the  Pattersons,  the  Boardmans, 
the  Clows,  and  Freys  and  others. 

"The  early  settlers  of  the  section  were  all  good  farmers,  and 
took  pride  in  their  neat  work  in  all  farming  activities.  Com- 
petition of  a  friendly  character  existed,  as  it  always  does.  Just 
how  the  idea  started  of  meeting  in  a  match  to  determine  the 
best  plowmen  of  the  section  is  not  known.  Other  similar  kind 
existed,  and  it  is  logical  to  suppose  that  from  such  a  match 
the  germ  was  brought  back  to  Wheatland.  In  1877,  early  in 
the  year,  leading  farmers  of  the  territory  were  meeting,  to 
talk  over  a  closer  fellowship  for  the  community,  and  more  pro- 
fitable methods  of  farming.  Three  of  those  active  in  such  a 
movement  were  James  Patterson,  for  so  many  years  associated 
with  the  Plowing  Match,  and  its  best  supporter;  Henry  Mussey 
and  A.  S.  Thomas.  Discussion  finally  led  to  a  meeting  being 
called  at  the  Spaulding  schoolhouse  July  15,  1877.  Here  the 
Plowing  Match  was  born.  An  association  was  formed,  with 
Henry  Mussey  as  president  and  A.  S.  Thomas,  Secretary-Trea- 
surer.   There  were  twelve  men  in  attendance  at  the  meeting. 

"The  date  of  the  first  match  was  set  for  September  22,  at 
the  Alexander  Brown  farm,  and  the  various  events  were  ar- 
ranged. 

"George  Boardman,  venerable  historian  of  the  Wheatland 
Plowing  Match  Association,  gives  interesting  side  lights  as  to 
the  considerations  which  may  have  brought  the  Match  into 
existence.  A.  S.  Thomas  had  in  his  employ  a  man  named  George 
Grimble,  an  Englishman,  whose  plowing  was  of  a  most  excel- 
lent nature.  Gimble  had  taken  prizes  in  matches  and  won  sev- 
eral years  at  the  Kane  County  Fair.  He  also  had  worked  for 
Robert  Clow.  Due  to  the  excellence  of  his  work,  and  the  fact 
that  he  was  a  prize  plowman,  other  farmers  attempted  to  equal 
his  work.    He  evidently  added  much  to  the  sentiment  for  the 


376  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

formation  of  the  Plowing  Match,  although  he  never  plowed 
in  one,  probably  having  left  for  other  parts  prior  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  match. 

"Another  interesting  episode  is  related,  of  the  opposition 
of  some  farmers  of  neither  Scotch  or  English  birth  to  the 
match.  They  evidently  feared  that  the  Scotch  and  English 
were  too  skilled  to  permit  any  one  else  to  win  any  prizes,  but 
this  mild  opposition  soon  died  out,  and  all  entered  with  great 
enthusiasm  into  the  later  matches. 

"Thus  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match  was  established,  and 
has  for  fifty  years  been  conducted.  Three  years  only  have  seen 
no  matches — in  1884,  when  James  Patterson,  then  president, 
was  on  an  extended  trip  abroad,  and  again  in  1893,  during  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  and  in  1918,  during 
the  World  war.  No  match  has  been  called  off  on  account  of 
weather  conditions,  it  is  told,  and  only  one  postponed  for  that 
reason. 

"To  the  Wheatland  Match  since  its  inception  have  come  the 
most  noted  visitors  of  the  section  and  state.  City  and  coun- 
try have  mingled  there.  It  was  and  still  is  a  favored  gathering 
place  for  those  seeking  political  favor. 

"Through  the  medium  of  this  annual  contest  of  skill  in  an 
ancient  art,  Wheatland  farmers  have  developed  themselves  and 
their  sons  into  farmers  of  exceptional  ability.  Prosperity  has 
been  the  lot  of  the  majority  through  the  years.  Social  inter- 
course at  these  matches  has  added  to  the  enjoyment  and  de- 
velopment of  the  entire  community.  The  founders  built  far 
better  than  they  knew. 

The  Matches,  1877-1927.  1877.— Place— Alexander  Brown 
farm.    Date — September  22,  Saturday.    Attendance — 250. 

The  first  match  was  successful  far  beyond  anticipation. 
While  contestants  were  limited  to  residents  of  the  township, 
all  events  were  well  filled,  and  much  rivalry  existed.    Seven 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  377 

cash  prizes  were  offered,  one  event  being  for  boys  under  15 
years  of  age.    The  total  value  of  the  prizes  offered  was  $44.00. 

"The  wisdom  of  the  founders  was  evident  in  the  rule  that 
boys  might  compete  for  all  premiums.  Not  only  did  the  boy 
feel  proud  of  being  permitted  to  compete  on  a  parity  with  his 
elders,  but  very  soon  he  became  able  to  do  successfully,  as 
prize  awards  showed.  These  'boys'  now  are  the  men  who  are 
the  section's  most  successful  farmers. 

"It  is  worthwhile,  for  this  first  match,  to  relate  the  names 
of  the  entrants  as  follows:  James  King,  John  Thompson,  Henry 
Westphal,  Edward  Jarman,  Chas.  Catchpole,  John  Netzley, 
John  Fairweather,  Jacob  Levee,  Chas.  Brown,  Robert  Lee,  W. 
T.  Lumbard,  George  Boardman,  Michael  Faser,  James  Lemtz, 
Ed.  Levee  and  A.  G.  Brown.  The  judges  were  Daniel  Birkett, 
Henry  Mussey  and  Alexander  Thompson.  James  King  won 
the  first  prize  of  $15.00. 

"At  the  first  match,  as  at  all  succeeding  ones,  factory  repre- 
sentatives of  plows  were  on  hand  with  their  latest  models. 
Sulky  plows  were  new,  and  were  tested  for  merit  on  the 
grounds. 

"The  committee  reported  regarding  this  first  match: 

"  'We  learned  among  other  things  that  a  furrow  can  be 
ploughed  straight;  that  there  are  men  who  are  masters  of  the 
plow;  that  while  we  live,  we  progress;  that  sulky  plowing  is  a 
great  step  in  advance  of  all  hand  plowing/ 

"Thus  the  first  match  passed.  James  Patterson  was  shortly 
afterward  elected  president,  and  held  the  office  for  many  years 
to  come. 

Second  Match,  1878.— Place — Robert  Clow  farm.  Date- 
September  (exact  date  unknown).    Attendance — 500. 

"The  second  match  was  a  real  test  of  skill.  Hot,  dry  weather 
had  baked  the  ground  extremely  hard,  and  a  heavy  growth  of 
weeds  and  grass  covered  the  field.    The  soil  turned  up  in  large 


378  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lumps.  Under  these  conditions,  a  larger  number  of  entries 
contested  than  the  year  before.  Prizes  were  more  valuable, 
and  a  larger  attendance  was  on  hand  to  spur  favorites  to 
action. 

"Good  plowing  under  adverse  conditions  resulted.  As  on 
the  prior  match,  factory  representatives  exhibited  their  plows 
after  dinner.  Awards  in  this  class  were  also  made.  William 
Castles  won  the  highest  prize  as  the  best  plowman,  a  pair  of 
silver-mounted  bridles. 

"Ladies  were  invited  this  year,  and  brought  picnic  lunches, 
and  over  500  enjoyed  the  noonday  meal  in  a  beautiful  grove 
near  the  field  on  which  the  match  was  held. 

"Third  Match,  1879.— Place— William  King  farm.  Date- 
September  (no  exact  date  known).    Attendance — Over  600. 

"Soil  and  weather  conditions  were  ideal  for  good  work. 
Larger  entry  lists  and  more  valuable  prizes  were  apparent. 
M.  Fairweather  won  first  prize  in  the  walking  plow  contest. 
More  interest  was  shown  in  the  contests  for  riding  plows. 

"Fourth  Match,  1880.— Place— Eli  Varley  farm.  Date- 
September  25.    Attendance — 850. 

"Good  plowing  conditions  prevailed,  due  to  heavy  rains  a 
few  days  previous.  Increasing  interest  in  the  match  was  ap- 
parent through  larger  attendance.  Spirited  contests  in  all 
events  took  place.  John  Thompson  was  awarded  first  prize 
in  walking  plow  work;  John  Clow  in  sulky  plowing. 

"Fifth  Match,  1881.— Place— Elias  Myers.  Date— September 
15.    Attendance— Over  1,000. 

"An  addition  exhibit  was  featured  this  year — a  colt  show. 
Excellent  animals  were  displayed  and  much  interest  aroused, 
which  led  to  this  department  becoming  one  of  the  principal 
ones  in  the  following  years. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  379 

"Interest  in  the  match  had  spread  to  all  parts  of  the  town- 
ship, and  the  aims  of  the  founders  were  being  realized  mani- 
fold. Over  15  riding  plows  were  entered.  John  Aspel  was 
winner  of  the  walking  plow  contest.  H.  Westphal  won  the 
riding  plow  award. 

"Sixth  Match,  1882.— Place—  John  Lumbard  farm.  Date- 
September  16.    Attendance — Over  900. 

"At  this  match,  competition  was  opened  to  anyone  in  the 
United  States,  for  the  first  time.  The  season  had  been  very 
dry  and  it  was  hard  plowing  for  the  contestants.  John  Fair- 
weather  won  the  walking  plow  event;  George  Royce  the  sulky 
plow. 

"After  the  picnic  dinner,  which  had  become  well  established 
by  this  time,  President  James  Patterson  was  presented  with 
a  gold  headed  cane,  in  token  of  the  appreciation  of  his  friends 
for  his  untiring  efforts  to  advance  farming  methods. 

"Seventh  Match,  1883.— Place— William  King  farm.  Date- 
September  15.    Attendance — Over  1,200. 

"It  was  noted  at  this  match  that  interest  in  the  event  was 
growing,  outside  of  Wheatland  Township,  for  many  of  those 
present  were  from  adjoining  townships,  and  from  cities  nearby, 
Aurora  and  Joliet.  This  match  marked  the  change  from  the 
original  idea  as  first  developed,  and  showed  that  the  event  had 
taken  on  the  nature  of  a  great  agricultural  exhibit,  of  interest 
to  outsiders  as  well  as  contestants  and  friends. 

"The  weather  was  hot  and  dry,  and  the  fields  were  hard 
and  packed,  but  good  plowing  resulted.  Greatest  interest  was 
shown  in  the  riding  plow  events,  because  farmers  were  realiz- 
ing that  everything  should  be  done  to  free  themselves  and  their 
sons  from  the  more  arduous  work  of  the  farm.  Riding  plows 
were  in  the  majority.  Adam  Stark  won  this  event.  Cyrus 
Stark  won  the  walking  plow  contest. 


380  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"Included  in  the  exhibits  were  two  potato  digging  machines, 
the  first  seen  in  the  section. 

"Aurora  merchants  were  present  in  force  and  aided  in  mak- 
ing the  event  the  greatest  up  to  date. 

"Eighth  Match,  1884. — This  year,  'Uncle'  James  Patterson 
was  abroad  and  did  not  return  until  October  1.  As  a  result  no 
match  was  held. 

"Ninth  Match,  1885. — No  records  are  to  be  found,  although 
the  match  was  held. 

"Tenth  Match,  1886.— Place— Ralton  Burkett  farm.  At- 
tendance— 1,000. 

"New  attractions  were  introduced  at  this  match,  including 
a  shooting  gallery,  and  refreshment  stands.  A  baseball  game 
was  played  in  the  afternoon  between  Naperville  and  Wheat- 
land. Naperville  won  by  the  generous  margin  of  22-5.  In  the 
evening  a  grand  open-air  ball  was  held,  for  the  first  time. 

"It  can  be  seen  that  the  match  was  becoming  a  much  greater 
factor  in  the  community  life  than  simply  a  contest  between 
plowmen.  The  social  instincts  of  the  section  were  being  catered 
to,  greatly  to  the  benefit  of  the  community.  A  division  of 
classes  was  made  this  year.  Class  A,  best  plowing  of  any  na- 
ture, won  by  Jacob  Stark.  Sulky  plowing  won  by  Matt.  De- 
muth. 

"Eleventh  Match,  1887.— Place— George  Mather  farm.  No 
record  of  exact  date  or  attendance. 

"At  this  match,  a  valuable  and  most  attractive  department 
was  added,  the  women's  department.  The  Women's  Fair,  as 
it  became,  included  exhibits  of  cooking,  sewing,  fancy  needle- 
work, etc.  Premiums  were  awarded  and  this  department  has 
become  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  match.  It  made  pos- 
sible for  the  women  of  the  farm,  what  their  husbands  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  381 

fathers  were  doing;  development  in  their  own  department  of 
farm  life.    John  Demuth  was  the  champion  of  this  match. 

"Twelfth  Match,  1888. — Place  James  Patterson  farm.  Date 
—September  22.    Attendance,  2,500. 

"This  match,  held  on  the  farm  of  the  esteemed  and  loved 
president,  marked  by  far  the  greatest  event  to  date.  Held  as 
a  gala  event  in  honor  of  'Uncle  Jim/  the  entire  township  and 
many  visitors  from  afar  were  present.' 

"The  ladies'  department  was  most  attractive  and  interesting. 

"A  grain  show  was  formally  added  at  this  time,  and  re- 
sulted in  many  splendid  exhibitions  of  grain  in  later  years. 

"A  long  list  of  prizes  was  awarded  in  all  departments.  Wm. 
Demuth  won  first  prize  in  walking  plows.  John  Haag  was  the 
winner  in  the  sulky  class. 

"The  baseball  game,  between  DuPage  and  Naperville,  was 
won  by  the  latter  by  the  score  of  14-4. 

"Thirteenth  Match,  1889.— Place— Leonard  Wolf  farm. 
Date — September  21.    Attendance — Over  2,700. 

"The  most  striking  point  about  this  match  was  the  remark- 
able manner  in  which  the  ladies'  department  had  grown.  Truly 
wonderful  exhibits,  worthy  of  much  larger  fairs  were  on  dis- 
play. The  keenest  of  rivalry  had  developed  between  the  house- 
wives, good  natured,  but  sincere.  It  seemed  that  every  home 
in  the  township  was  represented  in  the  exhibits. 

"The  usual  plowing  events  were  conducted,  and  larger  entry 
lists  in  all  events  were  presented.  George  Johnson  was  first  in 
the  walking  plow  contest.  Wallace  Myers  won  the  riding  plow 
event. 

"Fourteenth  Match,  1890. — Place — Daniel  and  James  Pat- 
terson farm.  No  exact  date  can  be  learned.  Attendance — 
Over  4,000. 


382  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"The  affair  was  billed  this  year  as  the  'Annual  Plowing 
Match  and  Colt  Show/  In  spite  of  rather  inclement  weather, 
a  great  attendance  greeted  the  contests.  It  was  estimated 
that  'over  1,000  rigs  and  vehicles  were  hitched  along  the  fences 
and  around  the  barns/  Alvin  Stark  won  the  highest  award  in 
the  riding  plow  class.  Wm.  Boughton  was  first  in  the  walking 
plow  event. 

"Fifteenth  Match,  1891.— Place— Asa  F.  Mather  farm.  Date 
— September  19.    Attendance — Over  4,000. 

"Town  and  country  met  in  one  of  the  most  successful  match 
"Town  and  country  met  in  one  of  the  most  successful 
matches  to  this  time  Ladies  from  neighboring  cities  and 
towns  were  present  in  large  numbers,  to  see  the  especially  fine 
display  in  the  ladies'  department.  Over  1,200  vehicles  were 
counted  on  the  grounds,  many  of  them  being  from  Aurora, 
Joliet,  and  neighboring  communities.  Jacob  Stark  was  the 
champion  of  the  riding  plow  class.  Michael  Faser  winning  the 
walking  eevnt. 

"Sixteenth  Match,  1892. — Place — James  and  Daniel  Patter- 
son farm.  Date — September  17.    Attendance — Over  3,500. 

"No  mention  is  to  be  found  of  any  especially  noteworthy 
events  in  connection  with  this  match,  the  usual  contests,  ex- 
hibits, and  animal  shows  being  held.  John  L.  Haag  won  the 
walking  plow  award,  no  record  is  noted  of  a  riding  plow  con- 
test this  year. 

"Seventeenth  Match,  1893.— This  year,  being  the  World's 
Fair  in  Chicago,  Sage  'Uncle'  James  Patterson  is  said  to  have 
remarked,  'Well,  you  see  it's  this  year;  they  are  going  to  have 
a  big  time  up  there  in  Chicago.  They  will  bring  the  best  fruits 
of  their  labor  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  they  are  going 
to  have  a  Midway  where  all  the  nations  of  the  world  will  be 
represented.    Besides  I  understand  that  Grover  Cleveland  will 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  383 

be  there  and  he's  worth  going  to  see,  for  you  all  know  he  will 
never  be  the  next  President.  I  think  it  would  be  well  to  go 
see  the  Exposition  and  drop  the  match  this  year,  for  we  all 
can  learn  a  great  deal  there,  more  perhaps  than  if  we  held 
the  match/    There  was  no  match  that  year. 

"Eighteenth  Match,  1894.— Place— W.  D.  Boughton  farm. 
No  exact  date  learned.    Attendance — Over  3,000. 

"After  the  lapse  of  a  year  during  which  no  match  was  held, 
the  affair  was  renewed  with  as  great  enthusiasm  as  previously. 
Large  numbers  of  visitors,  some  from  other  states,  were  pres- 
ent. The  customary  events  were  held,  and  in  addition,  a  new 
feature  was  introduced,  a  chicken  show.  By  this  time,  the 
Wheatland  Plowing  Match  had  about  all  the  features  to  be 
found  in  the  average  county  fair,  aside  from  the  horse  races. 
William  Fairweather  won  the  highest  award  given  in  gang 
plowing. 

"Nineteenth  Match,  1895. — Place — Peter  Lantz  farm.  Date 
— September  21.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"Greatly  increased  entry  lists  in  all  departments  greeted 
the  judges  at  this  match.  More  plowmen,  more  exhibits  in  the 
women's  department,  more  in  everything,  and  more  attractive 
prizes  were  given.  The  records  show  that  Alvin  Stark  won 
the  Flying  Premium,  a  beautiful  silver  cup,  denoting  the  best 
all-round  plowman. 

"Twentieth  Match,  1896.— Place— Jacob  Graber  farm.  Date 
— September  19.    Attendance — Over  2,000. 

"Cloudy  weather,  and  much  mud  was  the  factor  which 
greatly  decreased  the  attendance  at  this  match.  While  con- 
ditions were  not  the  best,  contestants  strove  as  keenly  for 
good  furrows,  and  the  judges  had  difficulty  in  deciding  the 
winners  in  some  cases.  This  year,  a  new  contest  was  intro- 
duced, the  'model  farms  contest/    Judges  made  a  personal  sur- 


384  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

vey  of  the  various  farms  entered,  and  graded  on  a  scale  of 
100  points  the  conditions  found  there.  Six  farmers  entered 
farms.  No  record  is  given  as  to  the  winner  of  the  event.  Wm. 
Fairweather  won  the  Flying  Premium,  denoting  best  all-round 
ability. 

Twenty-first  Match,  1897.— Place— David  Fry  Farm.  Date- 
September  18.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"Fair  weather  prevailed  at  this  match,  contrasted  with  rain 
and  mud  the  last  year.  Larger  crowds  than  ever  were  present, 
with  the  usual  compliment  of  city  people. 

"The  dining  hall,  conducted  in  the  interests  of  the  associa- 
tion, and  started  at  some  prior  match  not  to  be  learned,  did  a 
great  business  on  'fifty-cent  meals  for  a  quarter/ 

"Alvin  Stark  took  sweepstakes  again.  It  is  worth  note  that 
this  same  year  Mr.  Stark  won  first  premium  at  the  Iowa  State 
Fair  in  gang,  riding  and  walking  plow  contests,  and  received 
a  special  silver  medal  for  work  with  a  walking  plow.  Wheat- 
land was  turning  out  the  world's  best  plowmen,  it  seemed. 

"(Editor's  Note — The  foregoing  information,  of  the  first 
twenty  years  history  of  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match,  was 
taken  from  a  booklet  published  in  1898,  by  an  unknown  author, 
but  supposed  to  have  been  a  Joliet  newspaper  man.  Following 
data  was  secured  by  personal  investigation,  chiefly  from  the 
files  of  the  Aurora  Beacon-News.) 

Twenty-second  Match,  1898. — Place — Ernest  Kinley  farm. 
Date — September  17.    Attendance — 4,000. 

"At  this  match,  Cyrus  Stark  won  first  place  in  the  sweep- 
stakes event.  A  souvenir  booklet,  commemorating  the  first 
twenty  years  of  the  plowing  match  had  been  prepared  by  Jol- 
iet interests  and  was  circulated  among  the  crowd.  After  thirty 
years  have  passed,  many  copies  of  this  booklet  still  are  to  be 
found,  carefully  kept  as  the  record  of  the  events  held  at  the 
various  matches. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  385 

Twenty-third  Match,  1899.— Place— William  Stark  form. 
Date — Saturday,  September  16.    Attendance — Over  3,000. 

"Healy  Alexander  won  the  flying  championship  this  year, 
open  to  winners  of  classes  of  prior  years.  Little  is  to  be  learned 
of  any  especial  features  of  this  match. 

Twenty-fourth  Match,  1900. — Place — William  Stark  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  16.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"Cyrus  Stark  was  winner  of  the  championship  event,  from 
a  large  entry  list.  The  Ladies'  Fair  this  year  was  especially 
noteworthy. 

Twenty-fifth  Match,  1901.— Place— Asa  Mather  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  14.    Attendance — 8,000. 

"The  day  opened  brightly,  and  one  of  the  greatest  crowds 
up  to  this  time  gathered.  About  11  o'clock  a  heavy  rain  fell, 
and  the  judges  were  not  able  to  make  their  decisions  until  the 
following  Monday.  All  events  were  completed.  William  Fair- 
weather  was  the  champion  plowman  this  year. 

"The  death  of  President  McKinley  which  occurred  the  pre- 
vious day,  as  a  result  of  the  bullet  of  an  assassin,  was  the  sub- 
ject of  discussion  of  all. 

Twenty-sixth  Match,  1902.— Place  —  Daniel  Lantz  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  20.     Attendance — 6,000. 

"James  Patterson,  who  had  now  been  in  charge  of  most  of 
the  affairs  of  the  Match  in  one  capacity  or  another,  lamented 
the  fact  that  not  enough  boys  were  entering  the  events  set  aside 
for  them.  He  asked  that  special  efforts  be  made  to  have  a 
larger  number  entered  the  next  year. 

"Cyrus  Stark  defeated  last  year's  winner,  William  Fair- 
weather,  for  the  title  event,  and  he  was  to  be  a  winner  many 
times  in  the  future  years. 

Twenty-seventh  Match,  1903. — Place — Daniel  Lantz  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  19.    Attendance — 6,000. 

25— VOL.  1 


386  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"Cyrus  Stark,  winner  of  the  1902  match,  again  repeated  his 
splendid  work  and  defeated  William  Fairweather  for  the  title 
of  champion  plowman,  winning  a  silver  cup  thereby.  Alvin 
Stark,  a  brother,  was  third. 

"Col.  John  Lambert,  wealthy  and  prominent  iron  and  steel 
man  from  Joliet,  was  present  at  this  match  and  made  the  state- 
ment that  Wheatland  farmers  present  would  some  time  see 
farm  land  in  the  township  sell  for  $300.00  per  acre.  The  state- 
ment was  considered  preposterous.  Good  land  was  sold  for 
one-third  of  the  figure  he  gave — less  at  times,  and  owners  never 
expected  that  within  25  years  from  the  time  of  the  statement, 
land  would  sell  for  more  than  his  prophesied  figure.  Col.  Lam- 
bert purchased  at  auction  a  prize  winning  cake  baked  by  eleven 
year  old  Mabel  Iehl,  paying  $50.00  for  it.  A  baseball  game,  be- 
tween Ft.  Sheridan  soldiers  and  the  Wheatland  Athletes  was 
won  by  the  vistors,  8-1. 

Twenty-eighth  Match,  1904. — Place  —  Mrs.  Abner  Royce 
farm.    Date — Saturday,  September  17.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"Fearful  of  the  well  established  prowess  of  Cyrus  Stark,  no 
one  appeared  to  challenge  him  in  the  sweepstake  class.  He 
plowed  his  alloted  section,  and  was  declared  champion,  winning 
a  silver  cup  again.  Interest  was  drawn  to  earliest  models  of 
the  "horseless  buggy"  a  few  being  seen  at  the  match. 

Twenty-ninth  Match,  1905. — Place — Leonard  Wolf  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  16.    Attendance — 4,000. 

"By  winning  the  championship  title  for  more  than  three 
years  in  succession,  Cyrus  Stark  was  declared  'World's  Cham- 
pion Plowman'.  He  had  won  the  Gen.  Andrew  Welch  cup  for 
the  past  three  years,  and  repeated  this  year.  He  was  also  given 
a  gold  medal,  with  the  title  inscribed  upon  it.  An  ideal  day 
made  conditions  splendid  for  both  the  plowmen  and  the  large 
crowd,  who  enjoyed  themselves  as  Wheatland  Match  visitors 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  387 

usually  did.    The  chicken  dinner,  and  ladies'  department  proved 
great  attractions. 

Thirtieth  Match,  1906.— Place  Wm.  Stark  farm.  Date- 
Saturday,  September  15.    Attendance — 7,000. 

"Interest  of  the  great  crowd  was  divided  between  the  skilled 
plowmen,  and  an  innovation  to  the  match,  a  great  steam  drawn 
gang  plow,  which  turned  ten  furrows  at  a  time.  It  was  likened 
to  a  Mississippi  River  steamer,  plowing  up  waves,  as  it  went 
down  the  field. 

"Cyrus  Stark  had  no  competition  in  the  sweepstakes  class, 
and  won  another  gold  medal,  as  champion  plowman  of  the 
world.  Plainfield  trounced  the  Wheatland  ball  team  by  a  score 
of  16-8. 

Thirty-first  Match,  1907. — "Eating  chicken,  talking  politics, 
enjoying  baseball,  watching  the  plowing  match,  visiting  the 
ladies'  exhibits,  discussing  crops,"  a  journalist  gives  as  the  or- 
der of  importance  of  the  events  at  the  match  this  year. 

"The  Wheatland  Match  had  now  become  the  political  forum 
and  jousting  grounds  for  the  northern  section  of  the  state, 
especially  when  local  or  state  politics  were  boiling.  All  candi- 
dates and  important  office  holders  from  near-by  counties  were 
on  hand  at  each  match.  Col.  Ira  C.  Copley,  of  Aurora,  Col. 
John  Lambert  of  Joliet,  and  many  others  greeted  friends  at 
this  match. 

"The  most  notable  event  of  the  day,  however,  was  the  de- 
throning of  the  champion,  Cyrus  Stark,  by  William  Fair- 
weather,  who,  like  Stark,  was  to  see  many  more  championships 
in  future  matches. 

Thirty-second  Match,  1908.— Place— A.  E.  Hafenrichter 
farm.    Date — Saturday,  September  19.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"Mrs.  Adam  Clow,  head  of  the  dining  table  department,  and 
her  associates,  fed  3,500  at  the  chicken  dinner  at  noon.    Manv 


388  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

of  the  people  from  Aurora  and  Joliet  came  on  board  the  Joliet, 
Plainfield  and  Aurora  Electric  cars,  which  stopped  not  far  from 
the  farm. 

"For  the  first  time,  pickpockets  from  the  city  were  in  evi- 
dence, many  losses  being  discovered  on  the  grounds,  or  on  the 
electric  cars. 

"Thomas  Quantock  defeated  William  Fairweather  in  the 
sweepstakes  event. 

Thirty-third  Match,  1909. — Place — John  Lumbard  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  18.    Attendance — 6,000. 

"The  automobile  had  now  become  a  factor,  it  being  noted 
that  over  200  were  to  be  seen  at  this  match. 

"William  Fairweather  was  the  winner  of  the  championship 
event,  defeating  several  former  champions.  Alvin  Stark  was 
disqualified,  because  his  horses  became  unmanageable,  having 
been  frightened  by  the  sight  and  noise  of  automobiles  arriving 
for  the  match. 

"A  gasoline  motor  drawn  gang  plow  was  on  exhibition  at 
the  Match  and  attracted  much  attention. 

"Chief  of  Police  Michaels  of  Aurora  was  present  for  the 
first  time,  and  enjoyed  the  chicken  dinner  greatly.  No  mention 
is  made  of  pickpockets,  as  last  year,  it  being  concluded  that  the 
chief  was  there  for  a  purpose  other  than  eating  a  fine  chicken 
dinner. 

Thirty-fourth  Match,  1910.— Place— F.  M.  Culver  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  17.    Attendance — 5,000. 

"William  Fairweather  again  won  the  title  of  world's  Cham- 
pion as  the  result  of  winning  the  championship  class.  He  was 
awarded  the  gold  medal  offered  to  the  championship  event  win- 
ner.   In  the  prize  winners  class,  Frank  Boardman,  won. 

"Col.  I.  C.  Copley,  among  many  other  politicians,  was  pres- 
ent, to  visit  his  especial  friend,  Uncle  Jim  Patterson  a  staunch 
supporter  of  his  efforts  at  all  times. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  389 

Thirty-fifth  Match,  1911.— Place— A.  E.  Hafenrichter  farm. 
Date — Saturday,  September  23.    Attendance — 7,500. 

"  The  largest  crowd  I  ever  saw  at  the  Wheatland  Match/ 
was  Uncle  James  Patterson's  declaration.  Over  500  automo- 
biles were  counted  around  the  farm.  (In  the  same  issue  of  the 
paper  which  carries  the  story  of  this  match  was  an  account  of 
preparations  for  the  first  Ocean  to  Ocean  airplane  race,  with 
several  planes  entered.) 

"William  Fairweather  added  to  his  lengthy  list  of  champion- 
ships by  winning  world's  title. 

"High  tractor  plows,  turning  10  furrows  at  a  time,  were 
demonstrated,  to  the  great  interest  of  the  crowd. 

Thirty-sixth  Match,  1912.— Place— John  Wolf  farm.  Date 
—Monday,  September  23.    Attendance— 3,000. 

"The  only  match  in  the  entire  fifty  years  to  be  rained  out, 
this  one  was  held  Monday,  having  been  postponed  from  the 
date  set,  that  of  the  previous  Saturday.  The  crowd  was  much 
reduced  from  this  cause. 

"The  events  were  conducted  as  usual,  and  William  Fair- 
weather  won  the  title  event,  for  the  sixth  time.  He  was  close- 
ly pushed  by  Waldo  Thomas,  a  plowman  from  Big  Rock,  who 
was  to  be  the  first  man  outside  Wheatland  ever  to  win  the 
match,  a  few  years  later. 

"The  International  Harvester  Company  exhibited  a  forty 
horse  power  Mogul  tractor  at  this  match,  along  with  the  sev- 
eral other  makes. 

"Uncle  James  Patterson,  'the  sage  of  Wheatland',  as  he 
had  come  to  be  known,  was  present  as  usual,  aged  76,  but  ac- 
tive and  interested  in  the  events  and  aiding  in  conducting  them, 
as  he  had  done  for  the  past  35  years. 

Thirty-seventh  Match,  1913.— Place— Fred  Westphal  farm. 
Date — Thursday,  September  18.    Attendance — 5,000. 


390  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"Two  especial  events  marked  this  match — a  change  from  a 
Saturday  date  to  a  mid-week  date,  a  custom  long  in  usage,  and 
the  remarkable  sentiment  noted  in  favor  of  tractors  over 
horses.  It  was  freely  declared  that  this  match  saw  the  end 
of  the  supremacy  of  horsedrawn  plows  and  the  ascendancy  of 
tractors.  In  fact,  so  strong  was  the  sentiment  that  the  officers 
placed  tractor  plowing  events  on  the  program  soon  afterward. 

"It  is  worthy  of  note,  also,  that  with  this  decided  trend  away 
from  horses,  which  were  the  sole  power  when  the  Match 
started,  the  Match  was  to  see  the  last  of  its  founder  and  faith- 
ful friend,  beloved  James  Patterson — 'Uncle  Jim'  to  all  Wheat- 
land and  thousands  more.  While  he  was  not  well,  he  was  pres- 
ent, in  his  nephew's  touring  car,  and  had  his  usual  sage  re- 
marks about  current  events,  politics,  and  the  conduct  of  the 
match,  which  had  been  his  life's  greatest  interest. 

"Frank  Boardman,  21  year  old  son  of  Representative 
George  Boardman,  startled  all  by  defeating  the  six-time  cham- 
pion, William  Fairweather,  for  the  world's  championship  title. 

"Wheatland  defeated  Plainfield  3-1,  in  a  hotly  contested 
baseball  game. 

Thirty-eighth  Match,  1914.— Place— James  Findley  farm. 
Date — Thursday,  September  17.    Attendance — 8,000. 

"Uncle  James  Patterson,  beloved  of  all  in  Wheatland,  has 
been  gathered  to  his  last  resting  place  only  a  few  months  prior 
to  the  holding  of  this  Match.  For  37  years,  his  kindly  and  stim- 
ulating influence  had  been  a  pillar  of  strength  to  the  Match. 
It  was  with  a  saddened  step  that  the  attendants  of  the  Match 
following  their  favorite  plowmen,  for  one  who  had  been  their 
best  friend  was  not  beside  them.  However,  his  worthy  efforts 
to  stimulate  better  farming  methods  and  a  more  enjoyable  soc- 
ial life  in  Wheatland  had  borne  fruits  far  above  his  knowledge. 
A  man  who  had  never  married,  he  left  as  his  monument  a  far 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  391 

better  community  in  every  way  than  had  existed  when  he  came 
to  it.    It  was  his  greatest  life  work. 

"The  match  was  marked  by  the  first  triumph  of  an  outsider 
— Waldo  Thomas  of  Big  Rock,  taking  sweepstakes  from  the 
Wheatland  plowmen.  Contestants  from  Wheatland  had  striven 
for  prizes  at  Big  Rock,  and  vice  versa,  but  this  marked  the  first 
time  the  ranks  were  broken.  No  Wheatland  man  had  won  at 
Big  Rock  and  Thomas  was  the  first  to  take  the  honor  there. 

Thirty-ninth  Match,  1915.— Place— W.  D.  Patterson  farm. 
Date — September  23.    Attendance — Over  5,000. 

"Two  especially  interesting  events  set  this  match  out  from 
others — the  fact  that  Waldo  Thomas  repeated  his  winning  of 
sweepstakes  from  the  Wheatland  plowmen,  and  the  coming  of 
the  gasoline  tractor  into  the  fields  for  the  first  time.  Thomas 
made  a  wonderful  exhibition  of  the  art.  He  shared  attention 
of  the  crowd  with  several  gasoline  tractors,  which  were  for  the 
first  time  entered  in  competition.  Prior  to  this,  they  had  been 
exhibited  but  no  class  was  arranged  for  them. 

"The  usual  splendid  chicken  dinner,  arranged  by  the  ladies, 
drew  great  crowds  of  people  to  the  dining  tent. 

Fortieth  Match,  1916. — Place — Harvey  Brothers  farm.  Date 
—September  21.    Attendance — 12,000. 

"Again  Waldo  Thomas  from  Big  Rock  carried  off  the 
world's  honors  as  the  best  plowman,  at  this  match. 

"A  record  breaking  crowd  greeted  the  contestants,  and  the 
dining  tent  was  swamped  by  the  hungry  horde. 

"William  Fairweather,  holder  of  the  title  for  six  years  prior 
to  his  retirement  from  competition,  was  appealed  to,  to  enter 
the  match  again  next  year,  and  regain  the  honors  for  Wheat- 
land.   He  would  not  consent. 

Forty-first  Match,  1917.— Place— Pritchard  Stewart.  Date 
September  28.    Attendance— 12,000. 


392  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"Waldo  Thomas  did  not  compete  this  year.  Ben  Davis  was 
winner  of  the  sweepstakes,  after  a  re-judging  of  the  field,  fol- 
lowing protests  of  the  judges  decisions.  While  unfortunate, 
these  protests  served  to  emphasize  that  no  favoritism  was  ever 
to  be  permitted,  and  all  work  was  to  be  judged  on  its  merits. 

Forty-second  Match,  1918. — "America  was  engaged  in  a 
war  which  called  to  the  colors  all  the  youth  of  the  nation. 
Wheatland  was  giving  of  all  her  resources  to  aid  in  this  war. 
The  match  was  given  up,  for  the  third  time  in  its  history. 

Forty-third  Match,  1919.— Place — John  Clow  farm.  Date- 
September  11.     Attendance — 14,000. 

"Tractor  plowing  held  the  limelight,  for  the  first  time  at 
the  match.  Ben  Davis,  winner  of  the  1917  match,  forsook 
horse  power  for  tractor  power  and  won  in  this  event. 

"The  Ladies  Fair,  as  it  had  become  known,  was  most  attrac- 
tive. City  people  bid  eagerly  for  delicious  pies,  cakes,  and 
choice  hand  worked  articles. 

Forty-fourth  Match,  1920. — Place — Elmer  Haag  farm.  Date 
— September  24.    Attendance — 15,000. 

"Ben  Davis,  winner  of  the  tractor  championship  in  1919, 
won  from  a  large  field  again  this  year.  William  Thomas  of  Big 
Rock  won  the  horse  drawn  contest.  What  was  said  to  have 
been  the  largest  crowd  ever  to  witness  the  match  was  on  hand, 
it  being  estimated  that  15,000  people  were  present.  Automo- 
biles were  parked  for  long  distances  along  the  roads,  and  on 
the  grounds.  The  city  people  swarmed  into  the  dining  tent 
for  the  famous  chicken  dinner,  and  bid  eagerly  at  the  auction 
of  goods  from  the  ladies  fair. 

Forty-fifth  Match,  1921.— Place— John  Wolf  and  Rueben 
Hafenrichter  farms.  Date — September  1.  Attendance — Esti- 
mated 18,000. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  393 

"Larger  crowds  than  ever  before  greeted  the  great  field  of 
plowmen,  and  enjoyed  the  displays  of  the  ladies  fair,  grain  ex- 
hibits and  many  other  attractions  which  were  prepared  for 
them  at  this  match. 

"Arthur  Shoger  and  Charles  Hagerman  won  the  tractor 
and  horse  drawn  contests,  respectively.  In  the  post-graduate 
class  no  one  appeared  to  challenge  Arthur  Stark  and  Frank 
Boardman,  tractor  and  horsedrawn  champions.  Hagerman,  in 
the  horsedrawn  class,  was  winner  for  the  third  time  of  the  cup 
for  that  event,  and  it  became  his  possession. 

Forty-sixth  Match,  1922.  —  Place— Walter  Mueller  farm. 
Date — September  7.    Attendance — 8,000. 

"Unprecedented  drought  and  intense  heat  made  conditions 
for  plowing  about  as  bad  as  had  ever  been  experienced  and 
greatly  reduced  the  attendance  at  this  match.  A  conflict  with 
the  big  day  at  the  Sandwich  Fair  also  kept  many  away. 

"In  the  post-graduate  class  Tom  Quantock  was  winner  by  a 
narrow  margin  over  Charles  Hagerman  in  the  horse  drawn 
class.  No  one  appeared  to  challenge  Arthur  Stark  in  the  trac- 
tor drawn  post-graduate  class. 

Forty-seventh  Match,  1923. — Place — Frank  Stewart  farm. 
Date— September  12.    Attendance — 12,000. 

"A  duel  between  Charles  Hagerman  and  Thomas  Quantock, 
veterans  and  winners  of  former  years  in  the  horse  drawn  class, 
featured  this  match.  Hagerman  came  out  the  winner  in  the 
big  event  by  a  1  point  margin,  to  even  the  score  of  the  former 
year,  when  Quantock  won  by  only  half  a  point  margin.  Wil- 
liam Bermes,  who  won  the  local  tractor  class  award  last  year, 
passed  into  the  post-graduate  class  by  winning  that  event  again. 
Abner  Thomas,  from  Big  Rock,  was  unopposed  in  the  post- 
graduate tractor  class,  and  was  declared  winner. 

"Some  dissatisfaction  with  the  methods  of  awarding  the 


394  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

championship  title  to  winners  of  the  post-graduate  horse- 
drawn  class  arose  at  this  match.  It  was  claimed  that  higher 
scores  in  other  events  should  be  considered.  The  matter  was 
referred  to  the  committee  for  their  action. 

"The  usual  interesting  departmental  exhibits  were  well 
patronized  by  the  great  crowd,  larger  than  last  year's. 

Forty-eighth  Match,  1924. — Place — William  Patterson  and 
Joe  Elliott  farms.  Date — September  20.  Attendance — Over 
10,000. 

'Thomas  Quantock  returned  to  the  winners  class  in  the 
post-graduate  division  this  year,  leading  Homer  Lapp  by  a 
narrow  margin  in  the  horse-drawn  event.  Charles  Hagerman 
did  not  plow  in  this  class,  going  into  the  local  tractor  class. 

"Plowing  did  not  start  until  noon,  on  account  of  the  wet 
ground  caused  by  rain  the  previous  day  and  night.  The  un- 
even texture  of  the  soil,  in  high  and  low  places  of  the  same  land, 
called  for  the  best  skill  of  the  plowmen.  That  tractor  plowing 
was  more  popular  than  horse  plowing  was  revealed  by  the  fact 
that  there  were  17  tractors  and  only  6  horse-drawn  plows  en- 
tered. In  the  local  tractor  class,  Earl  Matter  won  the  event. 
No  record  is  given  of  any  contest  in  the  winners  class  of  tractor 
plowing. 

Forty-ninth  Match,  1925.— Place— Hanley  Thomas  farm. 
Date— September  12.    Attendance— Over  2,000. 

"Rain  early  in  the  morning  prevented  the  usual  large  at- 
tendance at  the  match.  The  ground  was  'spotty',  being  hard 
and  soft  in  spots,  making  uniform  plowing  difficult. 

"Homer  Lapp  of  Plainfield,  won  the  championship  from 
Thomas  Quantock,  the  four  time  winner  of  previous  years. 
Walter  Erickson  won  in  the  local  tractor  class. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  395 

Fiftieth  Match,  1926. — Place — Reuben  Hafenrichter  farm. 
Date — September  2.    Attendance — 10,000. 

"Edward  Reese,  a  Big  Rock  plowman,  was  winner  in  the 
championship  horse  drawn  event  at  this  match.  He  defeated 
Homer  Lapp  and  Thomas  Quantock,  former  winners.  In  the 
tractor  class.  Walter  Erickson  was  the  winner  of  the  local 
class.  The  match  was  fortunate  in  being  sandwiched  between 
seasons  of  wet  weather,  which  rendered  any  other  date  in  the 
month  impossible  for  such  an  event. 

"Large  numbers  of  city  people  were  on  hand  to  enjoy  the 
splendid  dinner  served  by  the  ladies,  and  to  purchase  the  fine 
specimens  exhibited  at  the  ladies'  fair.  Aurora  merchants  in 
several  large  busses  were  present  with  the  Aurora  East  High 
School  Band. 

Fifty-first  Match,  1927.— "Which  is  the  50th  or  Golden  Anni- 
versary of  the  founding  of  the  Wheatland  Plowing  Match. 
Place — W.  Hanley  Thomas  farm.  Date — September  17,  1927. 

Program:  Golden  Anniversary  of  the  Wheatland  Plowing 
Match  and  Fair  open  to  the  United  States.  Was  held  at  the 
Edgewood  Farm  of  W.  Hanley  Thomas,  5  miles  south  of  Naper- 
ville  and  6  miles  east  of  Wolfs  Crossing,  Saturday,  September 
17,  1927. 

The  object  of  the  Match  is  to  promote  better  agriculture. 

Will  Township  was  one  of  the  last  to  settle,  the  wood  and 
water  question  being  until  a  recent  date  the  great  desideratum. 
Black  Walnut  Creek  furnished  stock- water  to  the  farms  lying 
adjacent,  in  the  northwestern  portion.  Along  this  little  stream 
the  first  settlements  were  made. 

In  1852,  the  first  actual  settler  made  his  appearance  in  this 
locality.  All  of  the  adjoining  townships  had  already  received 
some  population ;  and  two  years  previous,  the  township  organi- 
zation act,  which  gave  a  corps  of  officers  to  each  six  miles 


396  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

square  containing  enough  inhabitants  for  organization,  had 
been  passed,  while  this  section  contained  not  a  single  inhabit- 
ant— white,  black  or  red. 

John  McKenzie,  who  is  generally  accredited  with  being  the 
first  settler,  was  a  Scotchman,  but  had  lived  in  the  country 
some  time  before  removing  to  this  locality.  He  lived  here  six 
or  seven  years  and  then  removed  to  Missouri.  He  was  in  that 
State  at  the  breaking-out  of  the  war,  and  engaged  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Government  as  a  spy.  On  one  occasion  he  was  cap- 
tured by  the  enemy  and  put  in  prison,  to  await  trial  by  court 
martial;  and  had  his  case  ever  come  to  trial,  he  would  doubtless 
have  suffered  the  penalty  of  death,  as  the  evidence  against  him 
was  sufficiently  conclusive. 

James  M.  Gridley  had  been  living  in  Crete  and  other  places 
in  this  part  of  the  State,  since  1840.  He  came  to  this  township 
in  1853,  and  built  the  second  house.  He  has  been  one  of  the 
prominent  men  of  the  township,  and  one  of  its  most  solid  citi- 
zens. Gridley  was  a  native  of  New  York.  Joseph  Baldwin  was 
a  native  of  Massachusetts,  but  had  been  to  California  and 
brought  back  a  few  hundred  dollars  of  the  "yellow  metal."  He 
remained  here  but  a  few  years,  when  he  removed  to  Missouri 
with  the  aforementioned  McKenzie.  James  Maxwell  came  out 
here  in  1853,  from  New  Jersey,  and  bought  some  land,  but  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  the  East  and  lived  until  1861. 

In  1853,  Henry  Lyon  came  from  Chicago,  or  rather  from 
the  Michigan  &  Illinois  Canal,  where  he  had  been  working,  and 
settled  on  the  land  now  owned  and  occupied  by  F.  P.  Lilley, 
to  whom  he  sold  out  a  year  later,  and  returned  to  the  more 
congenial  pursuit  of  working  on  the  Canal. 

The  next  year,  1854,  brought  several  good  and  enterprising 
families  to  this  vicinity,  among  whom  were  H.  N.  Ingersoll,  F. 
P.  Lilley,  Patrick  McMahon  and  John  B.  Sollitt.  The  first  of 
these,  H.  N.  Ingersoll,  had  really  been  here  the  year  before, 
and  had  purchased  the  land  to  which  he  moved  in  the  Spring 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  397 

of  1854.  Mr.  Ingersoll  was  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of 
the  township,  and  one  of  its  most  prominent  men. 

In  1855,  William  Constable,  James  Pickard,  Robert  Patter- 
son and  R.  0.  Hutchins  came,  the  first  three  from  New  York 
and  the  last  from  Vermont.  William  Constable  has  been  a 
most  successful  man  in  business.  R.  0.  Hutchins  resided  here 
but  a  few  years.  He  had  been  a  gunmaker,  and  on  the  break- 
ing-out of  the  war,  in  1861,  he  returned  to  his  native  State  and 
engaged  in  his  old  trade  of  making  fire-arms  for  the  Govern- 
ment. Mr.  Hutchins  was  the  first  School  Treasurer  of  Will 
Township,  having  been  appointed  to  the  office  in  1856.  Samuel 
Storer  and  Lorenzo  Tobias,  the  former  from  New  Hampshire 
and  the  latter  from  New  York,  came  in  1856.  Storer  was  one 
of  the  most  important  citizens  that  ever  lived  in  the  township. 
He  was  son-in-law  of  Gov.  Windsor,  of  New  Hampshire,  hav- 
ing married  his  daughter.  He  was  elected  first  Supervisor  of 
the  township,  in  1859,  and,  the  year  following,  was  sent,  as 
Representative  of  this  district,  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State. 
The  township  lost  one  of  its  most  promising  citizens  when  he 
removed  to  California,  which  he  did  in  1862.  Lorenzo  Tobias 
was  one  of  the  two  first  Justices  of  the  Peace  elected  in  1859. 

During  the  period  of  the  three  years  ending  1857,  there 
were  a  few  others  who  settled  in  this  township,  but  whose  stay 
was  so  short  that  it  is  not  thought  worth  while  to  consume 
space  with  their  mention.  The  same  may  be  said  with  respect 
to  the  following  year.  The  years  1857  and  1858  were  almost  a 
repetition  of  the  hard  times  experienced  in  1837,  and  emigra- 
tion to  this  vicinity  received  a  check.  From  1859,  however,  the 
rush  of  settlers  to  this  part  of  the  county  was  very  rapid,  and 
in  a  short  time  the  whole  township  was  fully  occupied. 

The  townships  of  Will  and  Monee,  previous  to  1859,  were 
embraced  in  a  single  precinct,  which  was  called  Carey.  In  the 
year  last  named,  the  two  sections  agreed  to  a  separation,  and 
petitions  to  that  effect  were  accordingly  presented  to  the  Board 


398  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

of  Supervisors,  who  ordered  a  division,  with  boundaries  and 
names  as  indicated. 

On  the  5th  of  April,  1859,  in  accordance  with  the  order  of 
the  Supervisors,  the  voters,  inhabitants  of  the  new  township 
of  Will,  met  at  the  schoolhouse  in  District  No.  1,  and  organized 
by  the  election  of  township  officers.  H.  N.  Ingersoll  was  elected 
Moderator,  and  Robert  Patterson  was  chosen  Clerk  pro  tern. 
Nineteen  votes  were  cast,  of  which  a  majority  were  polled  for 
the  following  persons: 

Samuel  Storer,  Supervisor;  R.  0.  Hutchins,  Clerk;  H.  P. 
Tobias,  Assessor;  F.  P.  Lilley,  Collector;  H.  N.  Ingersoll,  Poor- 
master;  John  B.  Sollitt,  James  M.  Gridley  and  George  W.  Smith 
Commissioners  of  Highways;  L.  D.  Tobias  and  George  W. 
Smith,  Justices  of  the  Peace;  and  H.  P.  Wright  and  Robert 
Patterson,  Constables. 

While  the  township  is  not  "dotted  all  over"  with  church  edi- 
fices as  it  is  with  schoolhouses,  we  are  led  to  believe,  that  the 
moral  and  religious  natures  have  not  been  left  uncultivated. 
It  is  true,  there  is  but  one  church-building  or  church  organiza- 
tion in  its  whole  bounds  but,  being  adjacent  to  towns  on  all  sides 
where  these  accommodations  abound,  the  township  seems  to 
need  only  the  one  already  erected  and  standing  near  the  center. 
The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Will  Township  was  organized  and 
the  building  erected  about  the  same  time,  1865.  There  had 
been  some  preaching  by  both  Presbyterians  and  Methodists, 
and  both  denominations  had  some  claims  on  the  field;  but  it 
was  agreed  on  all  hands  that  more  than  one  church  could 
scarcely  live,  and  that  a  union  of  forces  was  the  better  plan. 
Neither  party  was  very  tenacious;  but  when  a  party,  who  was 
not  a  member  of  either  denomination,  came  forward  and  pro- 
posed that  if  the  society  to  be  formed  should  be  Presbyterian, 
he  would  donate  ten  acres  of  land  and  $1,000  toward  the  erec- 
tion of  a  church  edifice,  it  was  decided  to  organize  a  Presby- 
terian Church.    George  W.  Smith  was  the  liberal  donor,  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  399 

not  only  did  he  fulfill  his  obligation,  but  added  to  it  $500  more. 
The  original  members  of  the  society  were  D.  J.  Board,  H.  N. 
Ingersoll,  George  W.  Smith,  Thomas  F.  Clark,  Henry  Neal  and 
James  Maxwell,  with  their  families.  Most  of  these  afterward 
became  members  of  the  Church.  The  building  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $7,500  and  is  a  credit  to  the  society,  the  Church  and 
the  township.  The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  E.  J. 
Hill. 

Wilmington  Township. — The  Kankakee  River  at  Wilming- 
ton is  one  of  the  finest  streams  in  the  State  or  in  the  whole 
West.  The  water,  pure  and  clear,  flows  over  a  solid  limestone 
bed,  and  this,  with  a  rapid  descent,  tends  to  purify  the  stream 
and  the  air,  and  render  the  surrounding  country  healthy  in 
an  eminent  degree.  Even  the  Indians,  who  preceded  the  white 
people,  realized  fully  the  advantages  of  this  neighborhood,  and 
the  relics  of  these  original  owners  of  the  soil  are  found  here 
in  abundance.  Arrow  and  spear  heads,  stone  axes,  rude  pot- 
tery and  other  articles  found  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kankakee, 
in  this  township,  attest  that  this  must  have  been  a  favorite 
dwelling-place  as  well  as  hunting-ground.  Not  only  so,  but 
the  fortifications,  constructed  of  earth,  on  which  now  grow 
trees  more  than  two  hundred  years  old,  and  of  which  the  later 
race  of  Indians  have  not  a  tradition,  points  to  an  earlier  race 
of  human  beings,  who  not  only  made  this  their  home,  but  de- 
fended it  with  all  the  skill  and  power  at  their  command.  Doubt- 
less, prior  to  1836,  white  men  lived  in  the  township  of  Wilm- 
ington. Even  before  the  Black  Hawk  war,  some  hunters  may 
have  made  the  banks  of  the  Kankakee  their  headquarters.  If 
such  there  were,  their  stay  was  but  temporary,  those  inhabit- 
ing the  section  before  1832  retiring,  on  the  rising  of  Black 
Hawk  and  his  allies,  to  safer  localities,  and  those  coming  in 
immediately  after  peace  was  restored  making  their  stay  so 
short  as  not  to  entitle  them  to  the  credit  of  permanent  settlers. 


400  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

To  Thomas  Cox  is  justly  due  the  honor  of  being  the  first 
permanent  settler  of  this  vicinity.  In  1836,  he  laid  claim  to 
all  of  the  land  on  which  the  city  of  Wilmington  now  stands, 
laid  out  the  town,  calling  it  Winchester,  erect  the  first  sawmill, 
built  a  house  and  disposed  of  a  few  town  lots.  He  followed 
these  improvements  soon  after  with  the  addition  of  a  corn- 
cracker  to  his  saw-mill,  and  still  later  by  the  erection  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  race,  near  where  Whitten's  flour  mill  stands, 
of  a  grist-mill  and  carding  machine.  These  improvements  gave 
the  town  a  wide  reputation,  and  Cox's  mills  were  patronized  by 
many  who  lived  more  than  fifty  miles  distant.  The  old  pioneers 
of  Kankakee,  Grundy,  Livingston  and  other  counties  are  wont 
to  tell  how  they  took  their  corn  and  wheat  to  the  mill  at  Wilm- 
ington, consuming,  often,  nearly  a  week  in  the  trip.  Having 
such  a  long  distance  to  go,  it  became  necessary  to  wait  for  the 
grinding  of  the  grain  before  their  return ;  and,  as  the  mill  was 
frequently  crowded,  they  were  often  necessarily  detained  sev- 
eral days.  The  first  mill  was  built  without  any  bolting  mach- 
inery; but,  after  a  time,  a  bolt,  made  to  turn  by  hand,  was  con- 
structed, and  through  this  the  patrons  of  the  mill  were  allowed 
to  sift  their  own  flour.  Prior  to  the  erection  of  the  mill,  tradi- 
tion says  there  was  an  oak  stump  that  stood  near  the  site  of 
Stewart  &  Henderson's  store,  which  was  slightly  hollowed  out 
in  the  top.  A  spring-pole  was  fixed  in  a  suitable  position,  and 
to  the  end  of  the  pole  was  tied  a  bar,  into  the  end  of  which  was 
fastened  an  iron  wedge,  constituting  a  heavy  pestile.  The 
stump  was  the  mortar,  into  which  was  cast  a  small  quantity  of 
corn  to  be  pounded  and  cracked  for  bread  and  mush.  While 
undergoing  the  pounding  process,  hot  water  was  sometimes 
poured  on,  and  while  this  prevented  the  mashing  of  the  grains, 
it  facilitated  the  removal  of  the  husk  or  bran,  and  a  good  article 
of  hominy  was  thereby  provided.  This  primitive  machine  is 
said  to  have  been  well  patronized,  and  furnished  food  for  the 
early  pioneers. 


•j '             "r "  t^'SSbsmUhhBSKb'WI 

.  - 

^^^""'m     ,  Mf^W®  1 

, 

L    ^ 

jHHHHHBB*-  1MB  #$f  '9BBBI    1 

K2HPu^ 

S '  bskk 

- 

HHHM 

M 

B"  "■■■ 

■HP 

? 

"'     /  *'J??I;- '     • 

SOLDIER'S    WIDOW'S    HOME,    WILMINGTON,    ILL. 


%t^. 


- . 


OLD  CANAL,  WILMINGTON,  ILL. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  401 

Peter  Stewart  was  a  native  of  Scotland.  When  but  a  boy- 
he  left  his  home  to  seek  employment  and  an  independence  in 
a  distant  portion  of  the  country.  Without  education,  and  with 
scarcely  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  English  language  to  make 
his  wants  known,  he  went  to  England  and  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing work  in  Lord  Anglesea's  garden,  as  a  common  laborer.  He 
was,  however,  under  the  superintendence  of  a  scientific  gar- 
dener, who  was  at  the  same  time  a  practical  civil  engineer,  and 
from  him  he  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  both  branches 
by  hard  study  after  the  day's  work  was  over.  He,  at  the  same 
time,  became  greatly  interested  in  the  study  of  botany,  and 
finally  became  thoroughly  versed  in  the  science.  By  industry 
and  economy  he  saved  sufficient  to  pay  his  passage  to  America. 
At  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  this  country,  the  Erie  Canal  was 
being  constructed,  and  this  proved  to  be  a  favorable  opening. 
His  knowledge  of  engineering  soon  gave  him  a  paying  position 
on  these  works,  and  when  the  excavation  of  his  part  of  the 
canal  was  done,  he  built  the  very  first  lock  on  the  whole  canal. 
He  afterward  obtained  a  number  of  large  contracts  for  build- 
ing public  works  of  various  kinds,  among  which  were  the  grad- 
ing of  the  Schenectady  &  Utica  Railroad  and  the  building  of 
the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard.  During  this  time  he  was  not  un- 
mindful of  his  less  fortunate  relatives,  whom  he  had  left  in 
the  old  country;  and  when  he  had  accumulated  means  suffic- 
ient to  warrant,  went  back  and  brought  over  to  the  United 
States  the  balance  of  his  father's  family. 

In  1835,  partially  to  prospect  in  the  interest  of  the  Michigan 
&  Illinois  Canal  enterprise,  which  was  then  receiving  attention 
from  both  the  State  and  General  Government,  and  partially 
to  look  at  the  land  in  its  proposed  vicinity,  he  came  to  this 
neighborhood,  selected  a  piece  of  land  and  returned  to  Amster- 
dam, N.  Y.,  which  had  been  his  home,  and  the  next  Spring  emi- 
grated to  this  place.  Already  he  had  performed  the  work  of 
an  ordinary  life-time,  but  he  was  still  a  young  man  and  his 

26— VOL.  1 


402  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

activity  continued  till  his  death;  and  to  name  all  of  the  enter- 
prises both  benevolent  and  business  in  which  he  had  been  en- 
gaged, would  be  to  consume  more  space  than  the  design  of  this 
work  will  permit.  One  of  his  first  works,  after  coming,  was 
that  of  inspector  of  masonry  of  the  Michigan  &  Illinois  Canal. 
He  was  a  stanch  Presbyterian,  and  contributed  his  means  and 
influence  to  building  up  the  society  here,  without  stint. 

James  L.  Young,  familiarly  called  the  "Senator,"  came  to 
the  township  in  1837,  and  settled  near  the  junction  of  the  Kan- 
kakee and  Des  Planes  Rivers,  but  subsequently  removed  to  the 
village.  He  was  a  blacksmith,  and  swung  the  sledge  until,  like 
Cincinnatus,  he  was  called  by  his  fellow-citizens  to  take  a  more 
responsible  position. 

Hon.  Archibald  Mclntyre  was  the  first  merchant  in  this 
vicinity.  His  store  was  located  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek, 
in  Stewart's  Addition.  He  was  a  most  successful  business  man, 
and  accumulated  a  large  property.  As  indicated  by  his  title, 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  as  representative  from 
this  district.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  Mclntyre  of  the  cele- 
brated lottery  firm  of  Yates  &  Mclntyre,  of  Philadelphia.  At 
the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  President  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  this  city.  He  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  came 
to  this  place  in  1837. 

Dr.  A.  W.  Bowen,  though  not  one  of  the  very  earliest  in- 
habitants of  this  place,  deserves  mention  here,  as  he  was  in- 
terested here  as  early  as  1838.  The  Doctor  had  been  living  in 
Joliet  for  four  years  when,  at  the  date  named,  he  purchased 
of  Cox  a  half  interest  in  the  site  of  Wilmington;  and  soon  after, 
by  a  division  of  interests,  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  north 
part  of  the  original  town. 

Andrew  Whitten  came  to  this  vicinity  in  1840  from  Canada, 
and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade. 

Franklin  Mitchell  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  where  he  lived 
until  1836,  when  he  came  to  Chicago.    He  stayed  in  Chicago 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  403 

a  few  months,  when  he  removed  to  Joliet  and  resided  four 
years.  In  1840,  he  came  to  Wilmington  to  take  charge  of  the 
Eagle  Hotel,  then  the  only  one  in  the  vilage.  After  remaining 
in  charge  of  the  house  three  years,  he  began  the  erection  of  the 
"Exchange,"  which  he  completed  and  occupied  the  next  year. 
Mitchell,  as  a  landlord,  was  a  great  success,  and  during  his 
occupancy  of  the  house,  a  space  of  twenty-one  years,  the  Ex- 
change was  counted  one  of  the  best  hotels  in  the  state. 

By  the  year  1846 — the  closing  of  the  first  decade  of  the 
existence  of  the  settlement,  and  which  period  may  properly 
be  termed  the  pioneer  period — quite  a  number  of  persons  had 
selected  this  township  and  village  as  a  place  of  residence. 
Among  the  number  are  remembered  S.  C.  and  J.  C.  Thompson, 
James  Johnson,  John  L.  Wilson,  Henry  and  Robert  Northam, 
John  R.  Jones,  Henry  Bowen,  John  and  Robert  Lyon,  John  G. 
Putnam,  Jonathan  Barnatt  and  Peter  Mcintosh.  The  two 
Thompsons  were  brothers,  and  were  natives  of  Scotland.  S.  C. 
was  a  good  blacksmith,  and  quite  a  successful  man  in  business. 
During  the  gold  excitement  which  followed  the  acquisition  by 
the  United  States  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  he  went  to  California 
and  stayed  a  couple  of  years.  Soon  after  his  return  from  the 
gold  fields  to  this  his  adopted  home,  he  died. 

City  of  Wilmington. — The  village  of  Wilmington  was  laid 
out  in  1836,  and  as  this  and  its  immediate  vicinity  was  the 
objective*  point  toward  which  the  early  settlers  naturally  cast 
their  eyes,  the  early  history  is  necesasrily  embraced  in  that  of 
the  township.  However,  in  1854,  having  attained  a  population 
required  by  law,  it  was  deemed  best  by  most  of  the  leading 
citizens  to  organize  the  village  as  a  separate  corporation.  It 
was  argued  that  this  would  give  the  village  authority  to  build 
sidewalks,  abate  nuisances,  control  the  liquor  traffic,  and  per- 
haps, obtain  some  revenue  from  the  trade  in  the  way  of  license, 
and  numerous  other  advantages  not  enjoyed  while  merely  con- 


404  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

stituting  a  portion  of  the  township.  Therefore,  a  notice,  signed 
by  "Many  Citizens,"  requesting  the  residents  and  freeholders 
to  meet  at  the  schoolhouse  on  Saturday,  the  24th  day  of  June, 
to  take  into  consideration  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  was 
posted  in  various  public  places  by  S.  W.  Munn  ten  days  before 
the  date  specified  in  the  notice.  At  the  meeting,  Peter  Stewart 
was  called  to  the  chair,  and  James  F.  Alden  was  selected  as 
clerk.  The  advantages  of  incorporation  were  then  argued  pro 
and  con  (mostly  pro),  after  which  a  vote  was  taken,  resulting 
in  favor  of  organization  12  to  1.  A  day  was  then  appointed 
for  the  election  of  a  town  board,  and  on  the  3d  day  of  July  the 
election  took  place.  Of  the  election,  Peter  Stewart  and  James 
F.  Allen  occupied  the  position  designated  at  the  primary  meet- 
ing. Sixty-three  votes  were  cast,  and  D.  W.  Smead,  J.  D.  Hen- 
derson, Samuel  C.  Thompson,  J.  A.  Seebor  and  James  F.  Alden 
were  elected  trustees;  James  L.  Young  was  chosen  clerk;  An- 
thony Riker,  street  commissioner,  and  Fred  Walrath,  constable. 
Thus  was  the  incorporation  of  the  village  fully  accomplished, 
and  under  this  organization  it  continued  eleven  years. 

The  early  settlers  of  Wilmington,  unlike  "the  pioneers  of 
most  other  localities,  were  religious  people,  and  they  had  but 
constructed  a  habitation,  which  barely  sheltered  them  from 
the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  before  they  began  to  take 
measures  for  the  establishing  of  a  house  for  the  Lord.  Like 
the  ancient  Israelites,  they  experienced  no  trouble  in  worship- 
ing God,  even  in  the  wilderness,  and  Peter  Stewart's  barn  an- 
swered the  purpose  of  a  tabernacle.  In  this  barn,  services 
were  held,  and,  in  1838,  two  years  after  the  first  settler  made 
his  appearance  in  the  vicinity,  in  it  was  organized  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

At  about  the  same  date  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  was 
organized,  the  Methodists  began  to  hold  religious  services  here, 
and  a  class  was  formed,  though  the  society  was  not  organized 
as  a  separate  charge  until  1868.    In  1840,  a  small  building,  now 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  405 

used  as  a  parsonage,  was  erected,  and  in  this  services  were  held 
until  1857,  when  their  present  fine  edifice  was  built.  The  build- 
ing is  a  large,  solid,  stone  structure,  with  basement,  forty-five 
feet  in  width  and  ninety  in  length,  and  cost  $15,000. 

Wilton  Township. — Of  all  of  the  interesting  little  nooks  in 
Will  County,  Twelve-Mile  Grove  is,  without  doubt,  the  most  ro- 
mantic. Not  only  on  account  of  location  has  it  this  peculiar 
aspect,  but  associated  with  it,  were  it  in  our  power  to  unearth 
it,  is  an  ancient  history  of  a  sufficiently  wild  flavor  for  a  poem 
like  that  of  Hiawatha.  Almost  entirely  secluded  as  they  were 
from  the  rest  of  their  race,  with  surroundings  at  once  so  beau- 
tiful and  so  well  adapted  to  their  style  of  life,  we  cannot  but  con- 
ceive that  the  wild  people  who  dwelt  here  must  in  many  respects 
have  been  peculiar.  The  little  grove  is  said  to  have  been  one 
of  the  finest  tracts  of  timber  in  Northern  Illinois,  and  was  full 
of  deer,  wild  turkeys  and  other  game,  at  the  time  of  the  earliest 
settlement  by  the  whites.  The  fine  little  stream,  a  branch  of 
Forked  Creek,  dividing  the  township  diagonally  into  two  al- 
most exactly  equal  parts,  flows  over  a  rocky  bed,  along  which 
the  grove,  on  the  other  side,  lies.  On  every  side  lies  the  open 
prairie,  and  in  approaching  the  timber  one  is  reminded  of  the 
little  clumps  of  timber  described  by  Eastern  travelers  as  ap- 
pearing on  the  Great  Desert,  toward  which  their  anxious  eyes 
and  weary  limbs  ever  turn  for  refreshing  shelter  and  drink 
for  themselves  and  thirsty  animals.  Formerly  this  feature  was 
much  more  apparent  than  now,  the  adjacent  prairie  having 
long  since  been  occupied  and  planted  here  and  there  by  the 
early  settlers,  not  only  with  fruit-trees,  but  also  with  those 
of  the  forest,  so  that  at  present,  the  whole  township  presents 
the  appearance  of  a  succession  of  little  groves.  The  land  of 
Wilton  Township  is  of  varied  quality  and  appearance,  in  some 
portions  being  very  rich  and  productive,  and  in  others  quite 
the  reverse;  in  some  portions  being  very  flat,  and  in  others 
undulating.    In  some  parts  of  the  township  stone  of  a  good 


406  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

quality  is  found,  which  answers  a  good  purpose  for  foundations 
for  buildings,  though  it  has  been  utilized  to  a  limited  extent 
for  other  purposes. 

Wilton  Township  formerly  embraced  the  township  of  Peo- 
tone,  but  was  separated  from  it  by  order  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors in  1858. 

As  before  intimated,  the  township,  or  rather  that  portion 
still  known  as  Twelve-Mile  Grove,  was  occupied  by  a  small 
tribe  of  Indians.  The  grove  was  reserved  by  act  of  Congress, 
ratifying  a  treaty  with  these  people,  for  their  sole  use  and 
benefit;  but,  though  they  were  not  concerned  in  any  way  in  the 
Black  Hawk  disturbance,  or  any  other  unfriendly  or  hostile 
act  toward  the  whites,  they  removed  from  here  the  same  year 
that  saw  the  exodus  of  the  hostile  tribes.  They  simply  aban- 
doned their  lands  here,  not  because  of  any  encroachments  by 
the  whites,  nor  because  of  their  inability  to  hold  the  title  to 
the  land,  but,  perhaps,  because  they  did  not  like  the  idea  of 
being  separated  so  far  from  others  of  their  race. 

From  the  best  information  in  our  possession,  Joseph  Law- 
ton,  one  of  the  owners  of  the  land,  was  a  half-breed ;  and,  from 
him  and  others  of  the  tribe  of  Ce-nag-e-wine,  the  land  com- 
prising the  grove  was  bought,  by  James  M.  Kibbin,  William  T. 
Nelson  and  A.  M.  Wiley,  ten  or  twelve  years  after  the  Indians 
had  deserted  it.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  land  in  the  town- 
ship was  granted  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company, 
and,  from  that  company,  bought  by  such  settlers  as  came  in 
after  1853.  Samuel  Hocum,  who  is  usually  accredited  with 
being  the  first  settler  at  the  Grove,  really  affiliated  with  the 
Indians,  and  when  they  left  here  to  reside  at  Council  Bluffs, 
followed  their  fortunes  thither.  Hocum,  whatever  his  charac- 
ter may  have  been,  was,  in  one  characteristic  which  distin- 
guishes the  civilized  white  from  the  uncivilized  red  man,  of 
civilized  proclivities,  in  that  he  lived  in  a  house.  It  is  said  that 
he  built  the  first  cabin  erected  by  white  men  in  the  township, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  407 

and  that  it  stood  at  the  east  end  of  the  grove,  on  the  farm  later 
owned  by  Chauncey  Clinton.  The  exodus  of  the  Hocums,  the 
Lawtons  and  the  other  Indians,  took  place  about  1835,  at  which 
date  Abram  Huyck  came  to  the  township  and  settled  on  Sec- 
tion 36,  since  and  still  called  Huyck's  Grove.  For  two  years, 
the  Huyck  family  were  the  only  inhabitants  of  the  township, 
and  Twelve-Mile  Grove  was  deserted. 

When  the  whites  first  began  to  settle  here,  many  traces  of 
the  former  occupants  of  the  grove  were  yet  visible.  Among 
the  most  interesting  of  these,  as  illustrating  their  methods  of 
sepulchre,  were  the  tombs  of  three  Indians,  supposed,  from 
the  profusion  of  their  decorations,  to  be  chiefs.  The  sepulchre, 
or  whatever  it  might  be  called,  consisted  of  a  little  pen,  built 
up  of  small  sticks,  laid  one  upon  the  other,  to  the  height  of 
about  four  feet,  being  from  four  to  five  feet  square.  The  whole 
was  covered  with  sticks,  weighed  down  with  heavy  stones.  And 
therein,  on  a  kind  of  stool,  sat  the  three  "poor  Loes,"  looking 
lonesome  and  ghastly  enough.  The  cracks  between  the  sticks 
composing  the  pens  were  sufficiently  wide  to  admit  of  inspec- 
tion, while  being  at  the  same  time  too  small  to  allow  of  their 
being  disturbed  by  wild  animals.  In  this  position,  these  ghastly 
remains  sat  in  all  of  their  feathers,  beads,  and  jewelry,  with 
the  flesh  decaying  from  their  bones,  for  a  number  of  years,  till 
at  length  a  foolish  lad,  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood,  upset 
their  charnal-houses,  scattering  their  bones  about  the  surround- 
ing country. 

In  1837,  three  families  from  Canada  came  in  and  settled  at 
the  grove.  These  were  Franklin  Chamberlin,  Oliver  Chamber- 
lin  and  James  Adams.  The  Chamberlins  were  father  and  son. 
The  Chamberlins  built  the  first  frame  house.  The  timbers  were 
"got  out,"  hewed  and  prepared  from  the  grove,  and  the  boards 
were  brought  from  Wilmington,  where  a  sawmill  had  recently 
been  built.    Adams  occupied  the  Hocum  cabin.    The  Chamber- 


408  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lins  remained  here  until  1845,  when  they  removed  to  Black 
Oak,  near  Chicago. 

If  intelligence  were  necessary  to  "keep  school"  in  those  days, 
the  Adams  family  must  have  been  in  that  respect  more  than 
ordinary,  as  the  first  two  terms  taught  in  the  township,  in 
1841  and  1842,  were  taught  respectively  by  Lydia  and  Sallie 
Adams,  daughters  of  James  Adams.  At  about  the  last  date 
named,  the  Mormons  at  Nauvoo  were  in  all  their  glory.  Mis- 
sionaries were  being  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  country  to  en- 
lighten the  people  on  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Joseph  Smith, 
as  revealed  in  the  Book  of  Mormon;  and  among  the  places  vis- 
ited in  this  part  of  the  state  was  Twelve-Mile  Grove.  Their 
efforts  here  were  not  without  success.  The  Adams  family,  hav- 
ing become  fully  established  in  the  faith,  sold  out  and  removed 
to  headquarters  at  Nauvoo.  A  few  years  later,  when  the  con- 
flict arose  between  the  authorities  of  the  state  and  the  troops 
of  Smith,  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  that  would-be  prophet, 
and  the  succession  of  Brigham  Young  to  the  prophet's  posi- 
tion, most  of  the  Mormons  removed  to  Salt  Lake.  Among  the 
faithful  who  followed  the  fortunes  of  Young  to  the  new  land 
of  promise  were  Adams  and  his  family.  In  crossing  the  plains 
among  the  hundreds  of  these  people  who  perished  was  Lydia 
Adams.  Sallie  afterward  became  one  of  the  wives  of  an  influen- 
tial and  wealthy  Mormon,  and  resided  in  that  country.  Several 
other  converts  were  made  to  Mormonism  in  this  neighborhood, 
some  of  whom  still  reside  here,  but  repudiate  the  doctrine  of 
plural  marriages,  cleaving  to  the  faith  as  expounded  by  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr. 

Hiram  Harvey  and  sons  came  to  the  township  from  Canada 
in  1841,  stayed  three  years  and  then  removed  to  Five-Mile 
Grove,  where  they  resided  nearly  four  years,  returning  to 
Twelve-Mile  in  1848.  Jabez  Harvey,  one  of  the  best-esteemed 
citizens  of  the  township,  went  to  California  during  the  gold 
fever,  and  had  returned  by  June,  1853,  having  in  the  meantime 
seen  somewhat  of  the  manner  of  dealing  with  outlaws  in  that 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  409 

country,  at  that  time  governed  neither  by  the  principles  of 
law  nor  morals. 

In  1846,  Kibben,  Nelson  &  Co.,  the  new  proprietors  of  the 
reservation,  came  to  the  Grove  with  a  view  to  making  improve- 
ments and  selling  out  the  land.  The  land  was  surveyed  and 
offered  for  sale;  and,  there  being  no  other  timber  near,  coal 
not  yet  having  been  discovered  in  the  county,  and  the  railroad 
not  yet  having  been  projected,  the  people  were  greatly  excited 
over  the  prospect  of  having  the  only  source  of  fuel  and  lumber 
disposed  of  without  a  chance  to  obtain  a  piece ;  and  as  a  conse- 
quence, land,  which  could  later  be  bought  for  $20  per  acre, 
brought  $100.  The  proprietors  who  had  bought  the  reservation 
for  a  trifle  became  rich  men  in  a  short  time. 

The  Nelson  family,  of  whom  W.  T.,  mentioned  above,  was 
a  member,  consisted  of  the  father,  John  Nelson,  and  sons,  W. 
T.,  S.  G.  and  D.  M.  They  came  from  Indiana  to  reside  at  the 
Grove  in  1848.  John  Nelson  had  been,  in  the  state  of  his  for- 
mer residence,  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  the  county  in  which 
he  lived,  and  was  honored  with  many  positions  of  trust,  among 
which  was  that  of  member  of  the  Assembly  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Nelson  died  two  or  three  years  after  his  removal  to  this  place. 

Joseph  Cook  was  the  first  blacksmith.  His  shop  at  first 
consisted  of  a  bellows,  anvil  and  a  few  hammers,  and  the  broad 
branches  of  a  tree  were  his  only  shelter. 

A  horse-power  sawmill  was  erected  by  Henry  Stone,  later 
of  California,  in  1850,  but  it  ran  but  a  short  time,  as  the  com- 
pletion of  the  railroad  brought  lumber  of  a  more  desirable 
character  to  within  a  short  distance.  The  first  goods  were  sold 
in  1856  by  J.  Hopkins,  at  Wallingford.  Hopkins  did  not  con- 
tinue in  the  business  long,  but  sold  out  to  S.  G.  Nelson.  A 
store  was  started  in  Wilton  Center  in  1857,  by  Barret  &  Hers- 
perger,  and  by  them  it  was  run  for  about  three  months,  when 
they  sold  to  Jabez  Harvey,  who  continued  the  business  without 
intermission  or  suspension  for  twenty  years. 


410  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

There  were  at  one  time  three  postoffices  in  the  township. 
The  first  established  was  the  one  at  Ingham's  Hill,  near  the 
center  of  the  township,  and  then  removed  to  Wallingford. 
About  1856,  a  postoffice  called  Pierce  was  authorized  at  Huyck's 
Grove,  and  another  at  Wilton  Center.  Pierce  Postoffice  existed 
but  a  short  time.  The  one  at  Wilton  Center  was  somewhat 
irregular,  until  a  few  years  ago  when  it  became  a  permanent 
fixture. 

In  1850,  there  were  in  the  township,  as  then  organized — 
embracing,  also,  Peotone — about  twenty-five  voters.  The  pre- 
cinct, with  the  Grove  as  center  for  an  indefinite  area  surround- 
ing, was  called  Dallas.  In  the  year  named,  howover,  the  com- 
missioners of  the  county  changed  the  name,  giving  the  precinct 
a  definite  boundary,  with  supervisor  and  other  township  officers. 

The  first  election  was  held  April  2,  1850.  Of  this  meeting, 
Henry  Stone  was  elected  moderator,  and  William  T.  Nelson, 
clerk  pro  tern.  Twenty-six  votes  were  cast,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing persons  for  the  respective  offices  received  majorities: 
William  Dancer,  supervisor;  Horace  Kelsey,  clerk;  James  M. 
Kibbin,  assessor;  Joel  0.  Norton,  collector;  Hugh  Kennedy, 
overseer  of  the  poor;  George  Dancer,  Samuel  Hall  and  Alfred 
Warner,  commissioners  of  highways;  Samuel  Wilson  and  Pat- 
rick Boyland,  justices  of  the  peace,  and  Edward  Graham  and 
John  McGowan,  constables. 

In  1858,  the  eastern  half  of  the  precinct,  now  constituting 
Peotone  Township,  was,  by  order  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
set  off  as  a  separate  township,  and  Wilton  left  with  boundaries 
co-extensive  with  what  we  now  find  them. 

Wilton  Township  is  entirely  rural  at  this  writing  (1928). 
A  century  ago  it  contained  an  Indian  Village  which  was  much 
larger  than  the  usual  town  of  that  people.  In  the  grove  where 
Wallingford  was  established  later,  the  natives  met  for  confer- 
ences, for  war  dances  and  other  social  functions  peculiar  to 
that  people.    Here,  too,  they  carried  on  what  trade  was  de- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  411 

manded  by  their  simple  living.  It  was  known  as  an  important 
center  over  a  large  territory.  Wallingford  became  a  village 
with  the  store,  blacksmith  shop,  cobbler's  shop,  postoffice,  school 
and  church,  and  a  horse-power  sawmill.  It  had  a  promising 
future  until  railroads  came  in  affording  the  needed  transporta- 
tion. Thus  trade  shifted  to  Manhattan.  Wallingford  passed, 
excepting  in  name. 

Wilton  Center  established  a  store  under  Barret  and  Hers- 
perger  and  in  three  months  sold  to  Jabez  Harvey.  He  served 
the  community  so  well  that  his  business  prospered  for  many 
years.  The  postoffice  maintained  here  was  a  help  to  the  store. 
Then  came  better  roads  and  rural  delivery.  The  postoffice  was 
abandoned  by  the  Government.  The  store  dwindled  and  ceased 
to  be  a  center  for  the  rural  folks.  The  coming  of  automobiles 
completed  the  transformation,  and  the  store  has  become  a  re- 
freshment stand  for  tourists  and  a  gasoline  station  for  autoists. 
The  churches,  Baptist  and  Methodist,  still  stand,  the  school  is 
well  attended,  and  a  half  dozen  homes  remain.  In  1926,  a  com- 
munity hall  was  built  by  the  people  of  the  township.  It  is  a 
commendable  institution  and  serves  as  a  gathering  place  for 
all  of  the  people  of  the  township.  This  hall  has  brought  a 
community  spirit  which  is  doing  much  for  all  of  the  people. 
They  learn  to  know  each  other  and,  because  they  know  their 
neighbors,  they  like  them.  John  Keniston  has  been  a  leader  in 
this  get-together  movement. 

Route  22,  of  the  Illinois  State  Highway  System  passes 
through  Wilton  Center.  This  affords  a  ready  outlet  for  dairy 
and  poultry  products  and  these  two  industries  are  increasing 
rapidly.  However,  grain  farming  remains  as  the  principal  line 
for  farmers. 

The  family  names  found  in  the  preceding  paragraphs  in 
which  the  earliest  history  was  recounted  have  disappeared.  In 
their  stead  one  finds  descendants  of  Irish,  German,  and  Scandi- 
navian predominating.  Truly,  the  pioneer  was  a  restless  being, 
ever  seeking  virgin  soil  and  isolated  regions. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


TRANSPORTATION  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


INDIAN  CANOE—TRAILS— WAGON  ROADS— CANAL— STAGE  ROUTES— BUS  LINES- 
HIGHWAYS— PLANK  ROADS— WATERWAY  DEVELOPMENT— RAILROADS 

The  aborigines  left  remains  in  mounds  and  ruined  dwell- 
ings. Bones  of  wild  animals  were  found  indicating  that  they 
were  skilful  hunters  and  used  fire  in  cooking.  Nothing  has  been 
found  to  show  that  they  employed  beasts  of  burden.  None  of 
the  wild  animals  had  been  domesticated.  Those  primitive  peo- 
ple had  no  commerce  or  trade  excepting  in  the  more  precious 
things,  such  as  arrows,  beads  and  wampum.  These  were  easily 
transported  by  man. 

The  Red  Man  had  no  beast  of  burden  excepting  the  dog  and 
he  was  not  suited  to  heavy  burdens.  The  most  important  use 
of  this  animal  was  for  food.  The  dog  was  fed  easily  on  refuse 
from  fish  and  game.  Roast  dog  was  served  on  special  ban- 
quets for  honored  guests.  The  women  were  the  chief  burden 
bearers,  because  the  men  must  be  ready  to  fight  while  on  the 
road.  After  the  Spaniards  (De  Soto,  Coronado,  Cortez)  had 
explored  the  Southwest  and  released  horses,  these  animals  mul- 
tiplied rapidly  and  spread  into  what  is  now  Texas,  Oklahoma, 
New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  the  plains  of  Colorado.  The  Indians 
captured  and  tamed  them  for  riding  and  for  pack  animals. 
Thus  it  came  about  that  throughout  that  part  of  the  United 
States  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  the  Red  Man  had  horses. 

The  canoe  was  invented  by  the  Indians  and  is  the  best  small 
craft  ever  used  by  man.    It  is  light  that  it  may  be  carried  over 

412 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  413 

the  portages;  it  is  inexpensive  to  make  and  durable.  Dugouts 
were  used  by  some  of  the  natives.  They  used  fire  to  aid  them 
because  their  tools  were  not  the  best  for  working  wood  in 
large  pieces. 

The  Great  Highway  mentioned  in  the  early  part  of  this  his- 
tory gives  the  succession  of  buffalo  trail,  Indian  trail,  bridle 
path,  wagon  road,  concrete  highway  (Lincoln  Highway),  canal, 
railroad,  and  airplane  route.  The  last  one  named  needs  no 
roadbed  and  yet  many  of  these  routes  follow  quite  definitely  the 
old  trails. 

The  Conestoga  wagon,  more  frequently  called  prairie 
schooner,  was  the  first  vehicle  used.  It  was  by  no  means  lack- 
ing in  dignity  or  in  capacity.  It  was  built  to  carry  heavy  bur- 
dens over  rough  roads  in  any  kind  of  weather.  Oxen  or  horses 
were  used  as  motive  power.  Several  teams  were  attached  to 
one  wagon  as  necesity  demanded.  Extra  animals  were  usually 
provided  to  rest  and  refresh  themselves  as  they  were  herded 
along  with  the  whole  caravan,  for  these  wagons  usually  passed 
in  trains  for  mutual  assistance.  The  Sauk  (Sac)  Trail,  now 
the  Lincoln  Highway,  saw  innumerable  prairie  schooners  pass- 
ing as  the  Eastern  people  sought  more  room  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi. 

Canal. — Transportation  on  the  Great  Lakes  was  by  means 
of  sailboats.  This  suggested  canals  and  the  Erie  Canal  came 
into  existence  early  and  this  directed  attention  of  the  oft-sug- 
gested waterway  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf.  The  chronology 
of  this  project  is  given  in  full  under  "The  Deep  Waterway." 
In  1674,  Louis  Joliet  recommended  that  France  construct  such 
a  waterway.  In  1808,  Albert  Gallatin,  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, advocated  a  ship  canal.  In  1811,  an  "Illinois  Waterway" 
was  reported  to  Congress  in  a  bill  for  the  Erie  Canal.  In  1814, 
President  Madison,  in  his  message  to  Congress,  called  attention 
to  the  importance  of  a  ship  canal  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the 


414  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Illinois  River.  In  1820,  the  Post  and  Paul  Survey  of  canal 
route  was  completed.  In  1822,  Congress  granted  a  right  of  way 
for  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  through  the  public  lands 
between  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Illinois  River  at  La  Salle.  In 
1827,  Congress  granted  to  the  state  aid  of  the  Illinois  and  Mich- 
igan Canal  each  alternate  section  of  the  land  for  five  miles  on 
each  side  of  the  canal,  a  total  of  325,000  acres.  In  1828,  the 
State  of  Illinois  authorized  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal. 

From  "Forty  Years  Ago,"  by  George  H.  Woodruff,  published 
in  1874,  the  following  accounts  are  taken,  not  verbatim  but  in  a 
general  way.  That  author  had  lived  through  the  time  of  con- 
struction and  was  near  enough  to  it  to  give  authentic  reports 
on  the  work.  The  first  ground  was  broken  at  Bridgeport,  July 
4,  1836.  The  work  was  commenced  on  the  plan  of  the  "deep 
cut,"  that  is,  feeding  it  directly  from  Lake  Michigan  through 
the  south  branch  of  the  Chicago  River.  At  the  time  of  letting 
the  first  contracts  the  mania  for  speculation  was  at  its  height, 
and  labor  provisions  were  extremely  high  for  those  times. 
Labor  was  twenty  to  thirty  dollars  per  month  "with  board. 
Pork  twenty  to  thirty  dollars  per  barrel.  Flour  was  nine  to 
twelve  dollars,  and  other  things  in  proportion.  To  facilitate 
the  construction  of  the  canal,  a  road  was  opened  from  Chicago 
to  Lockport,  known  as  "Archer  Road,"  named  after  the  acting 
commissioner,  on  which  $40,000  were  expended.  Much  criti- 
cism was  heard,  of  this  project,  but  its  use  for  bringing  in 
supplies  justified  the  expenditure. 

The  work  was  prosecuted  by  means  of  the  money  obtained 
from  the  sale  of  bonds,  and  of  canal  land  and  lots,  in  Chicago, 
Lockport,  Ottawa  and  La  Salle  until  1842,  at  an  outlay  of  over 
five  million  dollars  ($5,000,000),  when  the  work  was  suspended. 

Although  the  enterprise  was  commenced  when  everything 
had  to  be  done  in  the  most  expensive  way,  and  when  the  country 
was  on  the  eve  of  a  great  financial  crisis,  yet  the  state  could 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  415 

easily  have  gone  through  with  it  if  other  projects  had  not  been 
connected  with  it.  The  central  and  southern  portions  of  the 
state  looked  upon  it  as  a  project  which  would  benefit  the  north- 
ern end  of  the  state  exclusively.  They  insisted  upon  having 
railroads  built  to  compensate  them  for  their  share  of  the  im- 
provements paid  for  by  the  entire  state.  In  1837,  an  act  was 
passed  authorizing  a  loan  of  eight  millions  of  dollars,  and  four 
millions  for  continuing  the  canal  project.  While  this  was  an 
absurd  scheme,  impractical,  and  one  which  never  produced  any 
results,  loans  were  made  (bonds  were  sold)  amounting  to  nearly 
six  millions  of  dollars. 

The  hard  times  which  struck  the  East  in  1837  was  warded 
off  for  a  couple  of  years  by  the  canal  project.  But,  by  1840, 
the  state  had  accumulated  a  debt  of  $14,237,348  to  be  paid  by  a 
population  of  478,829,  nearly  thirty  dollars  for  every  man, 
woman  and  child.    The  debt  was  paid  in  full. 

The  bondholders  were  equally  interested  with  the  state  in 
finding  some  way  to  complete  the  project.  In  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1842-43  an  act  was  passed  by  which  all  unsold  land 
and  lots  were  to  be  transferred  to  three  trustees,  two  to  be 
chosen  by  the  holders  of  the  bonds  and  one  by  the  Governor 
of  Illinois.  The  bondholders  were  to  advance  $1,600,000  to  com- 
plete the  canal  on  another  level.  The  trustees  were  to  com- 
plete the  work  and  retain  possession  of  the  canal  and  its  reve- 
nues until  the  debts  were  all  paid.  The  income  consisted  of 
tolls  and  income  from  the  sale  of  lands  and  lots.  Work  was 
resumed  in  1845  and  brought  to  completion  in  1848. 

The  debt  and  all  costs  of  construction  and  the  interest  on 
all  back  payments  and  debts,  were  paid  in  full  in  1871,  with  a 
balance  of  $95,742. 

The  opening  of  the  canal  in  1848  was  a  day  of  great  rejoic- 
ing from  one  end  to  the  other.  Boats  started  at  the  same  time 
from  each  end  to  pass  over  the  canal.    The  boat  from  Chicago 


416  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

arrived  in  Joliet  at  noon.  It  carried  a  load  of  leaders  in  the 
work,  bands  of  music,  and  plenty  of  "wet  goods"  which  flowed 
freely.  Perhaps  the  celebration  of  the  completion  of  the  canal 
justified  the  wet  goods. 

One  sad  accident  marred  the  occasion.  It  is  quoted  verbatim 
from  "Forty  Years  Ago" :  The  Joliet  boys  procured  a  cannon 
which  they  placed  on  the  east  side  of  the  basin  and  fired  across 
it.  The  cannon,  by  some  mistake  got  elevated  too  high — per- 
haps the  boys  who  handled  it  were  elevated  by  the  wet  goods — 
at  any  rate,  a  heavy  wad  came  across  and  struck  a  highly  re- 
spected citizen  by  the  name  of  Peter  Adams,  in  the  region  of 
the  stomach,  whereupon  he  fell  at  once,  and  the  cry  arose  that 
a  man  was  killed!  The  shouting  of  the  crowd  was  hushed  at 
once  and  due  sadness  and  solemnity  fell  upon  all  countenances. 
But  after  Peter  got  over  his  astonishment  and  his  nausea,  it 
was  discovered  that  the  only  serious  injury  he  had  sustained 
was  the  loss  of  his  breakfast." 

The  opening  of  the  canal  was  a  new  era  for  Joliet  and  vi< 
cinity.  Transportation  by  ox-team  from  Chicago,  teams  draw- 
ing "Conestoga  Wagon,"  was  no  longer  necessary.  The  fol- 
lowing account  from  an  edition  of  the  Joliet  News  for  1884, 
sets  forth  the  advantages  clearly :  "The  opening  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal  was  an  important  era  in  Joliet  history.  As 
it  neared  completion  the  building  of  boats  commenced  all  along 
the  line.  Lockport  beat  Joliet  and  had  one  ready  first.  Ware- 
houses were  soon  built.  Henry  Fish,  Abijah  Cagwin,  and 
George  Woodruff  built  the  first  ones  on  the  east  side  of  the 
lower  basin.  The  one  built  by  Henry  Fish  is  now  (1884)  with 
considerable  additions,  Bush's  elevator.  The  one  erected  by 
Uncle  Bije  has  become  an  agricultural  warehouse,  and  George 
Woodruff's  is  connected  with  Wilcox  Lumber  Yard  and  F.  B. 
Plant's  planing  mill.  Otis  Hardy  made  the  first  boat,  opened 
the  first  lumber  yard  and  made  the  most  money." 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  417 

"These  warehouses  were  places  where  grain  and  produce 
was  handled  until  the  opening  of  the  railroads.  They  were  also 
used  in  winter  for  pork-buying  and  packing." 

"One  of  the  pleasantest  changes  wrought  by  the  canal  was 
in  our  mode  of  reaching  the  outpost  of  Chicago  in  the  summer 
season.  To  leave  Joliet  at  night,  go  to  bed  on  a  shelf  and  wake 
up  at  Bridgeport,  get  breakfast  and  then  debark  at  Chicago 
by  the  time  business  opened,  was  a  great  improvement  over 
the  stage-coach  and  dusty  or  muddy  roads." 

Stage  Routes. — A  history  of  transportation  would  not  be 
complete  without  an  account  of  stage  routes.  Such  a  route 
was  established  as  early  as  January,  1834,  between  Chicago  and 
Ottawa  running  by  Walker's  Grove  (Plainfield).  Judge  Caton 
later  of  "Caton  Farm,"  directed  the  company  which  made  the 
first  trip  and  established  stations.  They  suffered  very  much 
from  the  intense  cold.  In  1837,  the  stage  came  from  Plainfield 
across  to  Joliet  and  then  followed  down  the  river  to  Ottawa. 
Here,  again,  we  have  the  stage  following  the  Indian  Trail  which 
had  been  beaten  hard  by  many  hoofs  of  the  buffalo  in  their 
migrations.  The  stage  road  determined  Route  7  of  the  Illinois 
Highway  System  upon  which  automobiles  travel  on  concrete 
slabs.  These  stages  changed  horses  at  Godfrey's  Station  on 
the  south  edge  of  Dupage  Township  where  the  Chicago  Road 
from  Plainfield  intersects  Route  4  A. 

After  two  or  three  years,  the  route  was  changed  again 
going  from  Joliet  to  Chicago  on  the  west  side  (Route  4  A)  and 
leaving  Plainfield  out.  A  tedious  ride  it  used  to  be,  taking  an 
entire  day  to  make  the  passage  and  when  roads  were  wet  and 
heavy  much  of  the  night  was  used.  On  one  trip,  early  in  the 
fall  of  1837,  the  driver  lost  his  way  in  coming  across  from 
Plainfield  and  wandered  about  on  the  trackless  prairie  for  some 
time.  When  the  canal  was  completed  in  1848,  the  days  of  stage 
coaches  were  at  an  end.   The  days  of  the  packet  boat  had  come. 

27— VOL.  1 


418  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  Plainfield  stage  survived  until  the  coming  of  the  electric 
line  thirty-five  years  ago.  It  operated  between  Plainfield  and 
Joliet,  carrying  freight  and  passengers.  The  "Democrat 
Wagon"  drawn  by  horses,  was  a  familiar  sight.  In  these  days 
of  rapid  travel  (1928)  when  one  goes  from  Joliet  to  Plainfield 
in  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  over  concrete  roads,  horse-drawn 
vehicles  are  ancient  indeed.  The  historian  of  "Forty  Years 
Ago,"  published  in  1874,  commented  thus,  "What  device  shall 
displace  the  railroad?"  The  electric  line  came  and  went.  The 
bus  and  automobile  are  here.  We  have  clear  visions  of  air- 
planes following  air  routes  from  city  to  city,  and  we  say,  "What 
device  shall  displace  the  airplane?" 

Bus  Lines. — Perhaps  the  logical  successor  to  the  stage  is  the 
modern  bus.  The  following  account  is  taken  from  the  Joliet 
Daily  News  for  August  5, 1928: 

"Inauguration  of  a  new  bus  transportation  service  to  Chi- 
cago, on  Route  4  over  the  Broadway  Road,  by  the  Chicago  & 
Joliet  Transportation  Company,  will  take  place  August  15,  ac- 
cording to  an  announceemnt  made  yesterday  by  W.  H.  Huen, 
general  manager  of  the  company. 

"Three  of  the  eight  yellow  coach  busses,  with  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  29  passengers  each,  which  are  to  be  used  for  the  pur- 
pose, are  to  be  delivered  in  Joliet  Thursday.  They  were  pur- 
chased from  the  General  Motors  Company  and  are  to  be  driven 
here  from  Pontiac,  Michigan. 

"Mr.  Huen  announces  that  the  first  bus  will  leave  Joliet  at 
6:30  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  that  there  will  be  a  bus  every 
two  hours  throughout  the  day  with  the  last  bus  departing  for 
the  metropolis  at  8:30  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

"There  also  will  be  busses  from  Chicago  every  two  hours. 
The  first  bus  is  scheduled  to  leave  Chicago  at  8:30  o'clock  in 
the  morning.    The  last  bus  will  be  held  over  one-half  hour  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  419 

will  depart  at  11  o'clock,  instead  of  10:80,  for  the  convenience 
of  theater-goers  and  other  pleasure  seekers. 

"It  is  estimated  that  one  hour  and  45  minutes  is  the  approxi- 
mate time  required  to  make  the  trip  from  the  starting  point 
at  the  C.  &  J.  terminal  to  the  loop  in  Chicago. 

"One  way  tickets  may  be  purchased  for  $1,  while  the  round 
trip  fare  will  be  $1.60,  Mr.  Huen  said. 

"The  Chicago  &  Joliet  Transportation  Company,  a  subsidi- 
ary of  the  C.  &  J.  Electric  Railway  Company,  obtained  a  permit 
from  the  Illinois  Commerce  Commission  to  operate  a  bus  line 
between  Joliet  and  Chicago  over  Route  4,  early  in  the  summer. 

"According  to  the  proposed  route,  the  busses  will  start  at 
the  termnial  at  the  intersection  of  Clinton  and  Ottawa  streets 
in  the  City  of  Joliet;  thence  westerly  on  Clinton  Street  to  Joliet 
Street;  thence  northerly  on  Joliet  Street  to  Cass  Street;  thence 
easterly  on  Cass  Street  to  Ottawa  Street;  thence  northerly  on 
Ottawa  Street  to  Jackson  Street;  thence  easterly  on  Jackson 
Street  to  Indiana  Avenue ;  thence  northerly  on  Indiana  Avenue 
to  Chicago  Street;  thence  northerly  on  Chicago  Street  to  Ruby 
Street;  thence  westerly  on  Ruby  Street  to  Broadway. 

"Thence  northerly  on  Broadv/ay  and  state  bond  issue  Route 
4  to  the  intersection  with  Ogden  Avenue,  near  Harlem  Avenue; 
thence  easterly  on  Ogden  Avenue  to  Roosevelt  Road  in  Chi- 
cago; thence  easterly  on  Roosevelt  Road  to  Canal  Street;  thence 
northerly  on  Canal  Street  to  Randolph  Street;  thence  easterly 
on  Randolph  Street  to  Market  Street;  thence  northerly  on  Mar- 
ket Street  to  Wacker  Drive;  thence  easterly  on  Wacker  Drive 
to  Michigan  Avenue;  thence  southerly  on  Michigan  Avenue  to 
Roosevelt  Road;  thence  westerly  on  Roosevelt  Road  to  Ogden 
Avenue. 

"Thence  along  Ogden  Avenue  and  state  bond  issue  Route  4 
to  the  intersection  of  Cass  and  Ottawa  streets,  in  Joliet;  thence 
southerly  on  Ottawa  Street  to  Clinton  Street. 


420  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Highways. — Plank  road  propositions  were  prominent  in  the 
early  history  of  Will  County  as  well  as  in  Illinois.  The  enthu- 
siasm expressed  for  railroads  was  great  and  stock  was  sub- 
scribed and  paid  for  railroads  which  never  developed  beyond 
the  paper  upon  which  the  plans  were  made.  Plank-road  cor- 
porations were  organized  in  many  counties.  People  crowded 
in  to  buy  stock  and  large  amouuts  were  collected  by  the  pro- 
moters. Promoters  were  usually  sincere,  believing  that  they 
had  a  solution  for  roads  over  Illinois  mud.  Comparatively  few 
miles  were  built  and  operated,  however. 

Transportation  was  a  serious  problem  in  the  early  days  of 
Will  County  just  as  it  is  now,  but  how  different  is  our  solution. 
Plank  roads  were  rendered  useless  by  railroads.  Electric  in- 
terurban  lines  were  hailed  with  joy  and  paid  for  by  eager  sub- 
scribers who  never  realized  anything  on  the  investment.  Con- 
tractors and  builders  absorbed  all  of  the  money  for  stocks. 
Dividends  were  never  declared  because  upkeep  and  operation 
took  all  of  the  income.  The  development  of  the  internal  com- 
bustion engine  brought  the  automobiles.  Automobiles  provided 
ready,  rapid  transportation  for  private  individuals  and  electric 
lines  were  sold  for  junk  some  years  ago. 

In  most  instances,  bus  lines  paralleled  the  electric  lines  and 
provided  transportation  for  those  who  sought  public  convey- 
ances. In  1927  there  were  in  the  United  States  more  miles  of 
bus  lines  in  operation  than  there  were  miles  of  railroads.  The 
last  report  for  1927  showed  something  like  twenty  thousand 
miles  of  bus  lines  in  excess  of  railroad  lines. 

Concrete  roads  were  a  necessity  for  automobiles.  Owners 
were  ready  to  pay  for  them  and  state  authorities  were  soon 
prepared  to  build.  Thousands  of  miles  of  concrete  slab  are  in 
use.  Trucks  are  hauling  immense  quantities  of  freight  for 
short  distances.  Indeed,  within  the  last  three  months,  one 
could  have  seen  trucks  passing  through  Joliet  from  Philadel- 
phia, New  York  City,  and  Pittsburgh.    Who  shall  say  what 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  421 

changes  may  be  brought  about  by  this  transportation  system? 
De-centralization  of  industry  may  bring  factories  to  towns  and 
villages.  Power  is  readily  transmitted.  Cheaper  labor  is  found 
where  living  is  less  expensive.  Congestion  in  large  cities  is 
not  conducive  to  good  health  and  good  nature.  Large  cities 
may  decay  as  mankind  seeks  pure  water,  fresh  air,  and  brighter 
sunshine  in  the  smaller  communities. 

But,  to  return  to  plank  roads,  this  appeared  in  Will  County 
first  as  the  Oswego  and  Indiana  Plank  Road  Company,  or- 
ganized under  an  act  of  the  Legislature  approved  and  in  force 
on  February  12, 1849.  This  company  proposed  to  build  a  plank 
road  from  Oswego,  Kendall  County,  to  the  Indiana  state  line, 
by  way  of  Joliet.  Stock  was  sold  in  considerable  quantities  and 
on  February  12,  1857,  the  State  Legislature  passed  an  act  to 
authorize  the  holders  of  stock  in  the  Indiana  Plank  Road  Com- 
pany to  organize  under  the  general  laws  for  incorporating 
plank  road  companies.  The  law  of  1849,  gives  minute  details 
for  the  organization  and  operation  of  these  roads.  It  is  quoted 
at  length  here  because  it  sets  forth  what  was  in  the  minds  of 
the  men  back  of  the  movement.  The  complete  act  is  found  in 
the  Private  Laws  for  1849  on  page  138  and  following.  The  de- 
tails of  organizing,  electing  officers,  selling  stock,  procuring 
right  of  way,  court  action  for  damages,  condemnation  of  right 
of  way,  etc.,  are  about  what  one  finds  in  stock  companies  of 
today.  They  are  omitted.  The  following  has  a  historical  value 
and  is  quoted  here.  "Every  plank  road  made  by  virtue  of  this 
act  shall  be  so  constructed  as  to  make  a  secure  and  permanent 
road,  the  track  of  which  shall  be  made  of  plank,  and  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  permit  wagons  and  other  vehicles  conveniently 
and  easily  to  pass  each  other,  and  also  to  permit  all  vehicles  to 
pass  on  and  off  where  such  road  is  intersected  by  other  roads." 

"In  each  county  in  this  state  in  which  there  shall  be  any 
plank  road  constructed  by  virtue  of  this  act,  the  county  court 
shall  appoint  three  inspectors  of  such  roads,  who  shall  not  be 


422  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

interested  in  any  plank  road,  and  who  shall  hold  their  offices 
during  the  pleasure  of  the  court.  Before  entering  on  their 
duties  they  shall  take  an  oath  faithfully  to  perform  the  duties 
of  their  office,  and  file  the  same  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the 
county  court. 

"Whenever  any  such  company  shall  have  completed  their 
road,  or  any  two  consecutive  miles  thereof,  application  may  be 
made  to  any  two  of  the  inspectors,  to  be  appointed  as  aforesaid 
by  the  court  of  the  county  in  which  the  road,  or  the  part  thereof 
to  be  inspected,  is  constructed,  to  inspect  the  same;  which  in- 
spectors shall  be  allowed  two  dollars  per  day  for  the  time 
necessarily  employed,  to  be  paid  by  the  company  whose  road 
they  inspect;  and  if  they  find  the  road  is  so  inspected,  or  two 
or  more  miles  thereof,  is  constructed  according  to  the  true  in- 
tent and  meaning  of  this  act,  and  is  fit  for  use,  they  shall  sign  a 
certificate  to  that  effect. 

"Upon  filing  a  certificate  as  aforesaid  of  the  inspectors,  or 
two  of  them,  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  court,  the 
company  may  erect  one  or  more  toll-gates  upon  the  road,  and 
may  demand  and  receive  toll,  not  exceeding  the  following  rates  : 
For  every  vehicle  drawn  by  one  animal,  two  cents  per  mile; 
for  every  vehicle  drawn  by  two  animals,  three  cents  a  mile; 
for  every  vehicle  drawn  by  more  than  two  animals,  three  cents 
a  mile,  and  one-half  cent  additional  a  mile  for  every  animal 
more  than  two;  for  every  ten  of  neat  cattle,  one  cent  a  mile; 
for  every  ten  of  sheep  or  swine,  one  cent  a  mile ;  and  for  every 
horse  and  rider,  or  led  horse,  one  cent  a  mile." 

In  the  Public  Laws  of  Illinois,  Volume  1,  page  505,  we  find 
this  act:  "Be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly,  That  the  holders  of  the 
stock  issued  by  the  Oswego  and  Indiana  Plank  Road  Company, 
which  was  issued  on  subscriptions  for  the  construction  of  plank 
roads,  under  the  powers  contained  in  the  charter  of  said  com- 
pany, be  and  they  are  hereby  authorized  to  organize  under  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  423 

provisions  of  and  in  accordance  with  an  act  entitled,  'An  act 
to  provide  for  the  construction  of  plank  roads  by  a  general  law' 
approved  on  February  12,  1849,  and  the  several  amendments 
thereto. 

"Notice  to  the  holders  of  said  plank  road  stock,  of  the  time 
and  place  of  meeting,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  under  the 
laws  specified  in  the  first  section  of  this  act,  shall  be  given  by 
Joel  A.  Matteson,  William  Smith,  and  Nelson  D.  Elwood,  by 
the  publication,  in  a  public  newspaper,  published  in  Will  County, 
for  a  period  of  at  least  thirty  days  prior  to  the  time  of  such 
meeting. 

"The  company,  when  so  organized,  shall  have  the  power  to 
choose  and  adopt  a  corporate  name,  and  shall  have  and  possess 
all  the  powers  and  privileges  conferred  upon  plank  road  com- 
panies by  the  general  laws  of  this  state ;  and  shall  also  have  and 
possess  all  the  powers  and  privileges,  for  constructing,  extend- 
ing and  repairing  plank  roads,  and  for  the  imposition  and  col- 
lection of  tolls,  as  were  conferred  by  the  original  act  of  incor- 
poration of  the  'Oswego  and  Indiana  Plank  Road  Company'  and 
such  company  shall  also  have  the  power  to  rebuild,  repair,  and 
extend  their  line  of  roads,  or  any  portion  thereof,  and  to  build 
branches  by  planking,  graveling,  or  macadamizing.  This  act 
shall  take  effect  and  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage." 

Approved  February  12, 1857. 

Many  companies  were  organized  throughout  the  state  to 
build  plank  roads.  Advertising  was  extensive;  they  were  pic- 
tured as  "farmers'  roads"  and  "poor  man's  roads."  Roads 
were  located  and  stock  was  sold  with  ease.  One  road  known 
as  the  Southwestern  Plank  Road  ran  out  from  Chicago  to  Elgin 
and  another  toward  Naperville.  In  the  first  six  months,  tolls 
on  this  road  paid  expenses  and  dividends  amounting  to  forty- 
two  per  cent  on  the  money  invested.  Another  projected  road 
sold  $53,000  worth  of  stock  in  one  day.  The  movement  became 
epidemic  throughout  the  state.    Every  city  had  a  project.    By 


424  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1851,  the  State  of  Illinois  had  600  miles  of  these  roads  con- 
structed at  a  cost  of  $15,000  a  mile.  It  was  a  new  and  novel 
thing.  Farmers  paid  the  toll  willingly  and  put  up  with  the 
difficulties  of  getting  onto  the  plank  road  and  off  again.  Mud 
oozed  through  the  cracks  and  at  frequent  intervals  squirted 
upward  eight  or  ten  feet,  plastering  horses  and  driver  alike. 
The  present  enthusiasm  for  concrete  slabs  does  not  exceed  that 
manifested  for  plank  roads.  However,  they  were  not  an  en- 
during thing  in  transportation.  Railroads  did  away  with  the 
necessity  of  long  hauls,  turnpikes  and  gravel  were  soon  de- 
veloped and  proved  more  satisfactory. 

Plank  roads  were  built  and  used  from  Joliet  toward  Plain- 
field  by  the  Oswego  and  Indiana  Plank  Road  Company.  An- 
other stretch  of  about  eight  miles  ran  south  on  Chicago  Street. 
Both  were  short  lived.  On  March  15, 1869,  a  deed  in  trust  was 
executed  and  recorded  on  May  6, 1869,  as  follows :  Joliet  Plank 
Road  Company  to  William  C.  Wood  of  Will  County,  Illinois, 
for  a  consideration  of  one  dollar  ($1)  transfers  all  stocks  under 
this  resolution,  "Whereas  it  has  been  duly  resolved  by  the  di- 
rectors and  stockholders  of  said  corporation  to  abandon  the 
plank  road  theerof  now  in  operation  and  to  surrender  its  cor- 
porate powers,  franchises  and  privileges,  and  whereas  suitable 
proceedings  have  been  instituted  to  give  full  legal  effect  to  said 
resolutions  and  whereas  it  is  expedient  and  necessary,  prior  to 
the  final  consummation  thereof,  that  the  property  of  said  com- 
pany, real  and  personal,  should  be  vested  in  a  trustee  with  full 
power  after  said  corporation  shall  cease  to  exist,  to  sell  and 
dispose  of  the  same  for  the  benefit  of  the  stockholders  thereof/ ' 

This  trustee  sold  the  right-of-way  of  the  plank  road  com- 
pany to  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  Company,  which  com- 
pany constructed  the  "Joliet  Cut  Off"  railroad  running  east  to 
Michigan  City.  The  right  of  way  from  Joliet  to  Oswego  was 
not  used  for  railroad  purposes  and  gradually,  piece  by  piece, 
returned  to  the  original  owners.    Abstractors,  even  now,  are 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  425 

compelled  frequently  to  get  quit-claim  deeds  from  the  New 
York  Central  Lines  to  clear  up  titles  on  property. 

The  location  of  the  first  highways  by  the  county  commis- 
sioners in  early  days  is  most  interesting.  From  the  Will  County 
Commissioners'  Court,  May  Special  Term,  1836,  we  take  the 
following  record,  "Ordered  by  the  Court:  That  the  following 
report  be  and  is  hereby  accepted  and  approved. 

We,  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed  having  exam- 
ined the  route  for  a  road  from  Joliet  to  Plainfield  and  thence 
leading  westwardly  to  the  county  line  the  minutes  of  which 
are  hereunto  annexed  report  the  same  to  be  practicable  and 
of  public  utility. 

The  minutes  are  as  follows,  viz. :  Commencing  at  the  west 
end  of  Crop  Street,  in  West  Juliet  thence  continuing  in  the 
same  direction  nine  chains,  thence  North  7°  west  21  chains  60 
links  to  a  line  which  would  be  a  diagonal  passing  from  the 
southeast  to  the  northwest  corner  of  section  thence  continu- 
ing in  the  same  direction  through  the  S.  E.  and  N.  W.  corners 
of  Section  5  of  the  same  township  Section  31  of  Township  36 
of  Range  10  Section  23  of  Township  36  Range  9  thence  con- 
tinuing in  the  same  direction  in  Section  23  of  the  same  Town- 
ship 47  chains  50  links  thence  west  22° -49'  chains  thence  West 
48°  North  136  chains  to  a  line  which  running  directly  west  will 
pass  the  bridge  now  over  the  DuPage  River  on  Section  16 
thence  on  that  line  40  chains  to  the  centre  line  of  said  section 
a  little  west  of  the  Bridge  thence  west  6°  North  2y2  miles  to 
the  county  line. 

Surveyed  May  28,  1836. 
By  Daniel  Reed,  Surveyor. 
Archibald  Crowe  \T7. 
Aaron  More         I  Viewers. 

That  the  aforesaid  road  be  a  public  highway  and  that  the 
same  be  opened  to  the  full  width  of  fifty  feet." 


426  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

This  interesting  item  is  also  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  the 
county  commissioners'  court:  "Ordered  by  the  Court,  That 
Aaron  Moore  be  and  he  is  hereby  allowed  the  Sum  of  Three 
dollars  for  three  days  service  viewing  a  road  from  Juliet  to 
Plainfield  and  thence  to  the  county  line  to  be  paid  out  of  any 
moneys  not  otherwise  appropriated. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  name  recorded  here  is 
"West  Juliet."  The  present  name,  Joliet,  was  acquired  by  an 
act  of  the  Legislature  in  1845,  changing  Juliet  to  Joliet.  Thus 
honor  was  paid  to  that  heroic  figure,  Joliet,  who  came  through 
the  Great  Highway  so  early  in  our  history  with  Father  Mar- 
quette. 

The  Deep  Waterway  is  a  vital  issue  at  the  present  time 
(1928)  and  construction  is  under  way  at  Joliet,  Marseilles,  and 
other  points  along  the  way.  At  last  it  appears  that  it  will  be 
pushed  to  completion.  The  project  has  a  long  and  interesting 
history.  As  early  as  1674,  Louis  Joliet,  the  trader  wno  came 
with  Marquette  recommended  that  France  construct  a  water- 
way to  connect  Lake  Michigan  and  the  Des  Plaines  River  and 
thus  the  Illinois.  France  made  no  move  to  carry  out  this  idea. 
In  1808,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Albert  Gallatin,  advo- 
cated a  canal  across  the  Chicago  portage.  In  1811,  an  "Illinois 
Waterway"  was  reported  to  Congress  in  a  bill  for  the  Erie 
and  other  canals. 

September  25,  1819,  Ferdinand  Ernst,  a  German  traveler 
going  over  all  of  Illinois,  wrote  as  follows :  "It  is,  also,  a  very 
easy  thing  to  unite  the  Illinois  with  Lake  Michigan  by  a  12 
mile  canal  even  now,  in  the  case  of  high  water,  the  transit 
there  is  now  made.  By  means  of  this  canal,  then,  the  inland 
navigation  would  be  opened  up  from  New  York  to  New  Or- 
leans, a  distance  of  3,000  English  miles.  Such  an  internal  water- 
way not  only  does  not  exist  at  the  present  time  in  the  world, 
but,  it  will  never  exist  anywhere  else.    Besides,  this  state  enjoys 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  427 

the  navigation  of  its  boundary  and  internal  rivers  amounting 
to  3,094  miles,  and  all  are  placed  in  communication  with  each 
other  through  the  Mississippi.  In  short  I  do  not  believe  that 
any  one  state  in  all  America  is  so  highly  favored  by  nature,  in 
every  respect,  as  the  State  of  Illinois." 

Waterway  Development — This  seems  to  be  a  good  place 
to  insert  a  review  of  waterway  development  by  William  F. 
Mulvihill,  supervisor  of  Illinois  waterway  construction.  It  is 
taken  from  the  Illinois  Blue  Book  for  1927-1928. 

"The  following  paragraphs  present  in  brief  chronological 
order  the  high  spots  in  the  history  of  waterway  development 
in  Illinois  from  the  days  of  Father  Marquette  down  to  the 
present  time: 

1673 — Pere  Marquette  and  Louis  Joliet  explored  the  port- 
age between  the  Des  Plaines  and  Chicago  rivers. 

1674 — Joliet  recommended  that  France  construct  a  water- 
way to  connect  Lake  Michigan  with  the  Des  Plaines  and  Illi- 
nois rivers. 

1680  to  1687 — LaSalle  explored  the  waterways  of  the  Illinois 
and  Mississippi  valleys,  crossed  the  divide  at  present  site  of 
Chicago,  and  established  Fort  Creve  Coeur  near  Peoria  and 
Fort  St.  Louis  at  Starved  Rock  on  the  Illinois  River. 

1769 — Pontiac,  the  great  Indian  leader,  was  assassinated  by 
an  Illinois  Indian  at  Cahokia  opposite  St.  Louis. 

1770 — In  revenge  for  the  assassination  of  Pontiac,  the  In- 
diana Indians  practically  exterminated  the  Illinois  tribe  in  a 
war  which  culminated  in  the  massacre  at  Starved  Rock. 

1808 — Albert  Gallatin,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  advocated 
a  "ship  canal"  across  the  Chicago  portage,  as  a  matter  of  mili- 
tary and  commercial  importance. 

1811 — An  "Illinois  Waterway"  was  reported  to  Congress  in 
a  bill  for  the  Erie  and  other  canals. 


428  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

1814 — President  Madison,  in  his  message  to  Congress,  in- 
vited attention  to  the  importance  of  a  "ship  canal"  between 
Lake  Michigan  and  the  Illinois  River. 

1816 — On  August  24th  the  Ottawa,  Chippewa  and  Potta- 
watomie Indians  by  treaty  relinquished  all  territorial  claims 
and  ceded  the  territory  within  ten  miles  of  the  water  route, 
through  the  valleys  of  the  Chicago,  Des  Plaines  and  Illinois 
rivers,  for  a  small  sum  of  money  and  the  promise  that  a  canal 
would  be  built. 

1818 — The  importance  of  this  water  route  induced  the  Fed- 
eral Government  to  add  to  the  territory  of  the  state,  when  ad- 
mitted to  the  Union,  what  now  comprises  fourteen  counties  of 
Northern  Illinois  which  otherwise  would  have  become  a  part  of 
Wisconsin. 

1820 — Post  and  Paul  Survey  of  canal  route  completed. 

1822 — Congress  granted  a  right  of  way  for  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal  through  the  public  lands  between  Lake  Michi- 
gan and  the  Illinois  River  at  LaSalle. 

1827 — Congress  granted  to  the  state  in  aid  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal  each  alternate  section  of  land  for  five  miles 
on  each  side  of  the  canal — a  total  of  325,000  acres. 

1829 — State  authorized  construction  of  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal. 

1831 — Pursuant  to  act  of  legislature,  the  canal  commission- 
ers laid  out  the  towns  of  Chicago  and  Ottawa. 

1833— Legislature  abolished  office  of  canal  commissioners 
and  the  consent  of  Federal  Government  was  obtained  to  use 
canal  lands  for  the  construction  of  a  railroad. 

1835 — Railroad  plan  abandoned  and  loan  of  $500,000.00  for 
canal  construction  authorized. 

1836 — On  July  4  the  first  earth  was  turned  to  mark  the  be- 
ginning of  construction  of  the  waterway. 

1848 — The  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  was  completed  at  a 
cost  of  $6,557,681.50. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  429 

1866 — The  Preston  maps,  profiles  and  notes  on  a  waterway- 
route,  Lake  Michigan  to  Mississippi  River,  were  purchased  by 
Governor  Oglesby  for  the  State  of  Illinois. 

1870 — New  Constitution  of  Illinois  was  adopted,  making  it 
unlawful  for  the  Legislature  to  give  state  aid  in  construction 
of  waterways  or  railways. 

1871 — State  completed  lock  and  dam  at  Henry  in  the  Illi- 
nois River. 

1871  to  1899 — State  opened  lock  and  dam  at  Copperas  Creek. 
Various  surveys  and  reports  by  U.  S.  Engineers  on  improve- 
ments of  Des  Plaines  and  Illinois  rivers. 

1889  to  1893 — United  States  completed  locks  and  dams  on 
the  Illinois  River  at  LaGrange  and  Kampsville. 

1900 — Construction  of  the  Chicago  Sanitary  and  Ship  Canal 
was  completed,  from  Chicago  to  Lockport. 

1907 — The  Illinois  and  Mississippi  (Hennepin)  Canal  was 
completed  by  the  United  States.  It  is  75  miles  long  and  con- 
nects the  Illinois  River,  near  Hennepin,  with  the  Mississippi  at 
Rock  Island. 

1908 — Constitutional  amendment  authorizing  Legislature  to 
issue  state  bonds  of  $20,000,000  for  construction  of  a  "deep 
waterway"  from  Lockport  to  Utica  approved  by  vote  of  the 
people. 

1909  to  1917 — Various  plans  of  waterway  proposed,  none 
of  which  met  with  approval  of  U.  S.  War  Department. 

1917 — Civil  Administrative  Code,  establishing  the  Illinois 
Division  of  Waterways,  was  enacted. 

This  division  has  jurisdiction  over  all  rivers  and  lakes  of 
the  state,  to  prevent  pollution  thereof  or  encroachments  there- 
on; has  control  of  the  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  Illi- 
nois and  Michigan  Canal,  and  the  construction,  operation  and 
maintenance  of  the  Illinois  Waterway. 

1919 — The  "Illinois  Waterway"  act  and  appropriation  of 
$20,000,000  passed  by  the  Legislature.    It  provides  for  canaliz- 


430  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ing  the  Des  Plaines  and  Illinois  Rivers,  a  distance  of  60  miles 
with  5  locks  having  a  combined  lift  of  126  feet,  as  follows: 
Lockport,  41  feet;  Brandon  Road,  31  feet;  Dresden  Island,  17 
feet;  Marseilles,  21  feet;  Starved  Rock,  16  feet.  Plans  approved 
by  Secretary  of  War  and  Chief  of  U.  S.  Engineers. 

1920 — Actual  construction  work  was  commenced  on  Novem- 
ber 6  after  Governor  Small's  election  but  before  he  took  office. 

1921 — Governor  Small  objected  to  award  of  Starved  Rock 
Lock  and  dam  contract,  on  account  of  excessive  bid  of  $2,825,- 
040.00.  Award  of  this  work  was  made  in  1926  for  $1,475,832.00. 
On  August  11,  a  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States  declared  the  Des  Plaines  River  a  navigable  stream. 

1923 — The  Marseilles  lock  of  the  Illinois  Waterway  was 
completed  and  accepted  by  the  State  on  August  31,  at  a  saving 
of  $106,000  from  the  estimated  cost.  A  contract  for  the  Lock- 
port  lock  was  awarded  October  8. 

Condemnation  proceedings  filed  in  LaSalle  County  Court  to 
acquire  land  needed  for  Starved  Rock  Lock  site. 

1925 — The  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois  reversed  the  lower 
court,  in  Starved  Rock  site  case,  on  points  that  were  embar- 
rassing to  the  state  in  prosecuting  the  construction  of  the  Illi- 
nois Waterway. 

1926— Contracts  were  awarded  and  work  commenced  on — 
(a)  Construction  of  lock  and  dam  at  Starved  Rock,  (b)  Gates 
and  valves  for  Lockport  and  Marseilles  locks. 

Legal  difficulties  adjusted  and  approval  of  waterway  plans 
secured  from  the  cities  of  Joliet  and  Ottawa. 

1927 — Congress  authorized  improvement  of  Illinois  River 
to  depth  of  9  feet,  from  its  mouth  to  Starved  Rock. 

Lockport  lock  completed  by  state.  Plans  and  specifications 
prepared  for  Brandon  Road  and  Dresden  Island  locks  and 
dams.  Plans  for  5  bridges  over  waterway  at  Joliet  in  prepara- 
tion. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  431 

The  locks  of  the  Illinois  Waterway  are  constructed  110 
feet  wide,  with  600  feet  usable  length,  capable  of  handling  9,000 
tons  of  freight  at  one  lockage.  The  channel  will  be  not  less 
than  150  feet  in  bottom  width,  and  not  less  than  8  feet  depth 
which  will  be  increased  to  9  feet  without  added  cost  if  the 
present  flow  of  water  from  Lake  Michigan  is  continued.  The 
locks  are  uniform  in  size  with  those  being  built  by  the  Federal 
Government  in  the  Ohio  River,  thus  making  possible  the  inter- 
change of  standardized  equipment  between  the  two  trunk  lines. 
This  emphasizes  the  importance  of  the  action  taken  by  Con- 
gress in  1927  to  improve  the  lower  Illinois  and  Mississippi 
rivers,  so  as  to  provide  a  9-foot  navigable  channel  all  the  way 
from  Chicago  to  New  Orleans." 

Railroads,  Transportation.— The  following  article  by  Roger 
W.  Babson,  under  date  of  August  5,  1928,  gives  some  interest- 
ing history  and  much  food  for  thought. 

"There  are  two  distinct  sides  to  the  railroad  picture  as  pre- 
sented in  the  first  six  months  of  1928. 

"Statistics  clearly  indicate  that  the  railroad  situation  today 
is  fraught  with  many  severe  problems  which  call  for  the  best 
brains,  vision,  and  energy  in  the  industry. 

"First,  let  us  consider  the  unfavorable  results  of  operations 
during  the  first  six  months  of  this  year.  Complete  figures  are 
not  yet  available  for  the  full  half  year,  but  returns  are  now 
sufficient  to  show  what  has  happened. 

(1)  Passenger  business  declined  to  the  lowest  point  since 
1910. 

(2)  The  amount  of  freight  business  was  the  smallest  in 
three  years. 

(3)  Gross  earnings  were  the  smallest  in  three  years. 

(4)  Net  earnings  were  the  smallest  since  1925. 

(5)  The  return  upon  property  investment  was  lower  than 
at  any  time  in  the  past  six  years. 


432  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

(6)  Car  loadings  from  the  first  of  January  to  the  first  of 
May  each  week  showed  lower  totals  than  in  the  cor- 
responding weeks  of  1927,  and  for  the  full  six  months 
were  4  7-10  per  cent  below  the  same  period  a  year  ago. 

"On  the  face  of  it  this  would  appear  to  be  a  very  gloomy 
picture.  There  is,  however,  a  brighter  side.  The  favorable 
factors  are : 

(1)  Economy  of  operation  has  been  increased  very  great- 
ly and  service  rendered  has  improved.  Altho  in  the 
first  five  months  of  the  year  gross  earnings  of  all  of 
the  roads  were  $103,000,000  less  than  in  the  first  five 
months  of  1927,  operating  expenses  were  at  the  same 
time  reduced  $92,000,000. 

(2)  During  this  time  the  physical  condition  of  the  roads 
has  been  kept  at  the  highest  point  in  history. 

(3)  The  service  rendered  to  shippers  was  better  than  ever 
before.  The  amount  of  service  rendered  by  the  aver- 
age train  on  an  hourly  basis  was  the  greatest  in  his- 
tory, and  more  cars  were  handled  per  freight  train 
than  ever  before. 

(4)  Altho  the  gross  earnings  of  the  roads  were  falling  the 
average  wage  paid  per  employe  rose  to  the  highest 
point  since  1921.  Thru  increased  efficiency,  and  neces- 
sity for  fewer  employes,  the  total  amount  of  wages 
paid  was  the  smallest  in  six  years. 

(5)  Latest  statistics  indicate  that  the  downward  trend  of 
car  loadings  may  now  have  been  reversed.  For  the 
weeks  ended  July  7  and  July  14  car  loadings  were 
higher  than  for  the  corresponding  weeks  a  year  ago. 

"Depression  in  the  coal  industry  was  in  a  large  measure 
responsible  for  the  falling  off  in  freight  carried  by  the  eastern 
roads.  Also  the  volume  of  general  merchandise  shipped  up  to 
a  few  weeks  ago  has  not  been  as  great.   However,  improvement 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  433 

in  the  steel  trade  and  somewhat  better  general  business  activ- 
ity supports  the  view  that  a  trend  toward  improvement  is 
gaining  in  the  eastern  sections.  Nevertheless,  during  the  first 
five  months  of  the  year  the  roads  of  the  eastern  and  southern 
districts  showed  a  decline  both  in  gross  earnings  and  in  net, 
even  though  they  succeeded  in  making  substantial  reductions 
in  operating  expenses. 

"In  the  western  district,  however,  the  roads  increased  their 
net  earnings  eleven  per  cent,  while  their  operating  expenses 
were  reduced  l1/^  per  cent.  The  excellent  harvest  of  winter 
wheat  in  the  southwest  has  recently  greatly  benefited  the  car- 
riers serving  this  section.  The  improvement  in  net  earnings 
is  all  the  more  striking  because  these  roads  a  year  ago  were 
suffering  from  the  flood  conditions.  Now  in  addition  to  carry- 
ing a  bumper  wheat  crop  they  are  called  upon  to  move  material 
and  labor  to  the  flood  reconstruction  work. 

"Weather  conditions  in  the  northwest  have  recently  been 
quite  favorable  to  the  crops.  Traffic  outlook  is  consequently 
improving.  Inasmuch  as  net  earnings  began  to  decline  last 
year  about  this  time,  the  better  crop  prospects  should  make 
possible  favorable  earnings  comparisons  for  the  next  few 
months  for  the  northwestern  carriers.  In  Canada,  conditions 
so  far  have  been  much  more  favorable  for  the  railroads  this 
year  than  in  the  United  States.  Both  Canadian  Pacific  and 
Canadian  National  Railways'  gross  earnings  have  been  run- 
ning about  10  per  cent  above  the  first  six  months  of  1927.  With 
the  outlook  for  a  good  wheat  crop  in  the  western  provinces, 
car  loadings  should  continue  to  improve  on  these  Canadian 
roads  and  earnings  should  correspondingly  benefit. 

"It  now  appears  likely  that  nothing  more  will  be  done  to- 
ward the  solution  of  the  eastern  consolidation  program  until 
fall.  Undoubtedly  the  clearing  up  of  this  consolidation  mud- 
dle would  be  a  great  help  to  the  roads,  but  it  is  a  very  complex 
and  involved  situation  which  may  require  a  considerable  time 

28— VOL.  1 


434  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

longer  to  solve.  The  Interstate  Commerce  commission  so  far 
has  not  shown  a  tendency  to  accept  the  programs  set  forth  by 
the  leading  eastern  systems.  Speculation  in  railroad  securities 
on  the  basis  of  possible  consolidation  is,  therefore,  hazardous, 
especially  at  this  stage  of  the  market. 

"Aside  from  the  vexing  consolidation  problems  the  rail- 
roads have  to  face  the  fact  that  their  freight  traffic  is  not  in- 
creasing as  fast  as  it  was  before  the  war.  From  1920-1927 
freight  business  of  all  the  railroads  increased  less  than  1  per 
cent  per  year,  whereas  from  1906  to  1913  it  increased  nearly 
11  per  cent  per  year.  Doubtless  the  automobile  and  the  motor 
truck  have  had  much  to  do  with  this  decline.  Certainly  the 
private  automobile  and  the  bus  have  cut  down  passenger  traf- 
fic. Also  a  large  part  of  the  short-haul  freight  business  is  done 
by  truck  rather  than  by  rail.  On  the  other  hand,  the  automo- 
bile is  directly  responsible  for  increasing  certain  kinds  of 
freight.  Since  1913  the  tonnage  of  stone,  sand,  and  other  road 
building  materials  has  increased  85  per  cent.  Had  it  not  been 
for  the  motor  cars  most  of  the  materials  would  not  have  been 
needed,  because  they  are  largely  used  in  the  construction  of 
roads.  Also  it  is  the  motor  car  that  has  made  necessary  ship- 
ments of  steel  for  the  manufacture  of  motor  cars,  tires,  and 
motor  vehicles  themselves,  are  an  important  source  of  freight 
tonnage.  The  fact  that  freight  tonnage  is  not  increasing  as 
fast  as  it  was  before  indicates  the  change  to  truck  service. 

The  following  account  of  the  history  of  the  Rock  Island 
Railroad  is  taken  from  a  recent  publication  by  that  corpora- 
tion entitled  "Seventy  Years  of  Service"  by  F.  J.  Nevins. 

"On  the  evening  of  a  June  day,  1845,  several  men  walked 
up  the  path  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  Colonel  Davenport's 
home.  It  was  on  the  island  in  the  Mississippi  River.  To  the 
right  was  Fort  Armstrong,  built  in  1816  by  the  U.  S.  and  now 
known  as  the  "Guardian  of  the  Mississippi".  To  the  eastward 
was  Rock  Island  formerly  known  as  Farnhamsburg.    To  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  435 

northeast  the  buildings  in  Moline,  reflected  the  warm  glow  of 
the  setting  sun. 

"Among  these  men  were  Judge  James  Grant,  Ebenezer 
Cook,  and  A.  C.  Fulton  who  came  from  Davenport;  Lemuel 
Andrews  and  P.  A.  Whittaker,  who  came  from  Rock  Island, 
bringing  with  them  N.  D.  Elwood  from  Joliet,  Charles  Atkin- 
son from  Moline  and  Richard  P.  Morgan,  a  civil  engineer. 

Judge  Grant  spoke  at  some  length.  He  visioned  the  vast 
expanse  westward  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  beheld  in  his  dream, 
the  magnificent  empire  which  has  since  grown  upon  these  roll- 
ing plains.  He  proposed  that  they  inaugurate  a  movement  to 
build  the  railroad  connecting  the  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi. 
He  foresaw  the  need  of  transportation  in  the  development  of 
the  great  West.  Increasing  population  would  demand  more 
rapid  transportation. 

The  men  before  him  were  silent  as  each  recalled  that  in 
1837  the  State  of  Illinois  made  an  appropriation  of  $10,500,000 
(not  in  the  treasury)  to  build  1341  miles  of  railroad.  They 
recalled  that  bonds  were  sold  amounting  to  more  than  $5,000,- 
000.  They  recalled  the  short  line  of  railroad  from  Springfield 
to  Meridosia,  which  was  operated  at  a  loss  for  a  short  time 
before  it  collapsed. 

Mr.  Whitaker  spoke  for  the  whole  group  when  he  said, 
"Regardless  of  our  sad  experience  in  Illinois,  we  must  fall  in 
line  with  this  march  of  progress  to  the  Mississippi,  and  who 
shall  say  that  it  shall  not  go  beyond?" 

The  next  morning  the  men  from  Illinois  were  on  their  way 
to  Springfield  to  secure  charter  rights  for  the  Rock  Island 
and  La  Salle  Railroad  Company.  Twenty  months  were  to 
elapse  however,  months  spent  in  discussion  and  political  con- 
siderations, before  this  memorable  meeting  became  fruitful. 

By  Special  Act  of  the  Illinois  Legislature,  approved  Febru- 
ary 27, 1847,  this  railroad  was  incorporated  with  authority,  as 
detailed  in  the  Charter,  to  construct  a  line  of  railroad  "from 


436  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  termination  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal"  at  La  Salle, 
to  Rock  Island  on  the  Mississippi  River,  the  capital  stock  being 
fixed  at  $300,000.00. 

The  responsibility  of  selling  the  shares  of  the  Corporation 
was  assumed  by  a  commission  composed  of  Messrs.  Joseph 
Knox,  F.  R.  Brunot,  N.  B.  Buford,  Wm.  Vandever  and  Nath- 
aniel Belcher,  of  Rock  Island  County;  Joshua  Harper  and 
James  G.  Bolmer  of  Henry  County;  Cyrus  Bruant,  John  Stev- 
ens and  R.  T.  Templeton  of  Bureau  County;  and  John  V.  Horr 
and  Wm.  H.  W.  Gushman  of  La  Salle  County,  all  within  the 
State  of  Illinois,  and  the  subscription  books  opened  during 
February,  1848. 

Strenuous  days  followed.  It  was  found  to  be  a  difficult  mat- 
ter to  interest  capital  in  so  uncertain  a  project  as  a  railroad 
and,  particularly,  one  having  none  but  waterway  connections 
at  either  terminal. 

Those  whom  we  have  met  at  Colonel  Davenport's  home, 
and  their  friends,  however,  were  not  delinquent  in  their  duties 
regarding  organization  procedure,  for  they  met  at  Rock  Island 
early  in  1848  and  elected  Directors  and  Officers  in  turn,  as 
follows : 

President — James  Grant  (of  Iowa). 

Treasurer — A.  K.  Philleo. 

Secretary— N.  B.  Buford. 

Directors — James  Grant,  Ebenezer  Cook,  N.  B.  Buford,  J. 
N.  Allen,  M.  B.  Osborne,  Charles  Atkinson,  John  Stevens,  Jus- 
tis  Stevens,  L.  D.  Brewster  and  Lemuel  Andrews. 

Mr.  Wm.  Bailey  was  the  Directors'  first  nominee  for  Treas- 
urer, but  resigned  later.  Mr.  Philleo  had  previously  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  Commissioners  to  receive  subscriptions.  Mr. 
Churchill  Coff ing  served  as  Treasurer  from  April  through 
December,  1851.  In  the  absence  of  any  legal  department,  Mr. 
Buford  furnished  the  legal  counsel  needed. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  437 

Mr.  Richard  P.  Morgan  was  chosen  as  the  Chief  Engineer, 
and  he  shortly  entered  the  field  to  complete  a  preliminary  sur- 
vey of  the  line  between  Rock  Island  and  Peru. 

The  sale  of  the  stock  of  the  Rock  Island  and  La  Salle  Rail- 
road progressed  very  slowly — $50,400  being  pledged  in  Bureau 
County,  $20,000  in  Henry,  $25,000  in  La  Salle  and  $75,800  in 
Rock  Island  counties;  $128,300,  or  practically  all  of  the  re- 
mainder was  subsequently  purchased  by  residents  of  Scott 
County,  Iowa,  of  which  Davenport  is  the  county  seat. 

The  various  meetings  and  periods  of  discussion  held  on 
the  part  of  Judge  Grant  and  his  colleagues,  failed  to  inaugurate 
any  concerted  plan  of  actual  construction,  and  early  in  the 
year  1850  open  dissension  was  expressed  by  some  of  the  towns 
that  long  ere  this  had  anticipated  the  coming  of  the  railroad. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Mr.  Henry  Farnam  of  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  and  who  had  had  considerable  experience  in 
railroad  construction  in  the  East,  came  to  Chicago. 

While  his  main  interest  at  that  time  was  the  proposed  con- 
struction of  the  Galena  and  Chicago  Union,  he  possessed  a 
slight  knowledge  of  the  La  Salle  line. 

The  wonderful  advantages  of  the  entire  line  so  impressed 
Mr.  Farnam  that  he  prevailed  on  Mr.  Joseph  E.  Sheffield,  a 
man  of  wealth  and  a  sincere  friend  of  the  former,  to  come  to 
Chicago  and  inspect  the  proposed  new  line.  This  Mr.  Sheffield 
promptly  did,  and  placed  his  approval  on  the  entire  plan. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  January  24,  1848,  when 
James  W.  Marshall  picked  up  from  under  his  shoe  the  first 
gold  nugget  at  Sutter's  Ford,  had  electrified  the  world.  All 
eyes  were  turned  across  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  to  that 
"truly  golden  land  beyond,"  and  from  all  points  they  came — 
the  rich,  the  poor,  the  good  and  the  bad. 

Like  a  dreamer  suddenly  awakened  to  actualities,  the  pro- 
motors  of  the  Rock  Island  and  La  Salle  Railroad  felt  the  poten- 


438  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tial  call,  and  forthwith  the  board  of  directors  held  their  first 
session  at  Rock  Island  on  November  27,  1850,  petitioned  the 
United  States  Congress  for  right-of-way  and  applied  to  the 
Illinois  Legislature  for  an  amendment  to  their  charter,  au- 
thorizing a  change  in  title  and  rights  to  build  to  Chicago. 

The  Legislature  of  Iowa  was  also  memorialized  with  a  view 
to  building  a  depot  in  Davenport,  and  with  the  right  to  trans- 
port their  own  passengers  and  freight  across  the  Mississippi. 

The  morning  of  October  1,  1851,  gave  promise  of  a  cold, 
rainy  day  for  the  little  City  of  Chicago.  The  dense,  dripping 
fog  blowing  in  off  the  lake  and  the  chill  in  the  air  that  bespoke 
the  coming  of  winter,  afforded  little  comfort  to  those  who 
trudged  along  the  wooden  sidewalks  of  the  town. 

Around  a  vacant  piece  of  ground  just  west  of  Clark  Street, 
and  south  of  Jackson  a  number  of  idlers  were  standing — men 
off  the  lake  boats,  timber  cutters,  awaiting  passage  northward, 
and  "drifters"  from  nowhere  in  particular — watching  two  men 
as  they  waded  into  the  muddy  lot  and  began  erecting  a  gaudily 
painted  sign.  They  had  never  seen  one  reading  just  like  this 
before : 

"Good  railroad  work  for  the  winter.  Apply  to  Sheffield  & 
Farnam,  contractors,  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad  at 
Twelfth  Street." 

Mike  was  there,  Tony  was  there  and  Dominique  and  Pori- 
firio,  and  it  was  not  long  before  they  were  asking  two  questions, 
in  one  common  language — "How  far?"  and  "Where?"  The 
throng  of  idlers  melted  away,  tramping  northward  along  the 
muddy  sides  of  Clark  Street  to  Twelfth  Street,  seeking  the 
"good  work  for  the  winter."  And  thus  was  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  first  "railroad  camp"  of  the  great  "Rock  Island  Line." 
Work  was  starting  "then  and  now." 

Out  of  the  prairie  near  Twenty-second  Street,  at  the  limits 
of  the  town,  a  number  of  men  were  organizing.  Mule  and  ox 
teams  with  slip  scrapers  were  beginning  to  follow  the  plows, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  439 

as  the  latter  turned  up  the  earth  in  the  borrow  pits  alongside 
the  slightly  raised  railroad  embankment,  then  gradually  as- 
suming shape.  To  the  east,  through  the  rising  mist,  could  be 
seen  the  sparkling  white  caps  of  Lake  Michigan  and  over  to 
the  northwest  the  sluggish  water  of  the  Chicago  River  flowed 
slowly  toward  the  lake.  From  the  few  scattered  houses  round- 
about, no  recognition  was  had  of  this  propitious  occasion.  The 
usual  band  was  absent;  speeches  and  flowers  were  lacking. 

Mr.  Farnam  and  Mr.  William  Jervis,  the  chief  engineer, 
were  discussing  some  project,  when  Congressman  ("Long 
John")  Wentworth,  a  warm  personal  friend  of  the  former, 
came  driving  out  the  Vincennes  Plank  Road  from  the  river, 
and  turning  his  horses  across  the  vacant  land  lying  eastward 
of  the  new  railroad  embankment,  soon  drew  up  beside  them. 

At  Twelfth  Street  and  the  river  considerable  activity  could 
be  noted.  A  schooner,  the  "C.  Y.  Richmond,"  was  moored  in 
the  slip  which  extended  eastward  from  the  river  to  Clark 
Street.  From  the  hold  of  the  vessel  iron  rails  were  being  hoisted 
out  and  piled  on  ways  near  the  river's  bank.  These  rails — 
the  first  shipment  received— were  manufactured  by  the  Ebber- 
vale  Company  of  London,  England,  and  were  brought  to  New 
York  largely  as  ballast  in  empty  sailing  vessels.  Here  they 
were  transferred  to  smaller  boats  and  brought  to  Chicago  by 
way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  Great  Lakes.  It  was  decided  that 
from  this  point,  the  rails  would  be  moved  to  the  front,  either 
over  the  track  previously  laid,  or  by  means  of  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal.  The  rail  weighed  58  pounds  per  yard  and  cost 
originally  $55  per  ton.  This  price  was  afterwards  increased 
to  $70,  which  action  cut  materially  into  the  finances  of  the 
company,  but  apparently  it  was  not  considered  as  an  unmixed 
evil,  because  Mr.  Flagg,  the  treasurer,  in  a  letter  to  one  of  the 
directors  stated,  "It  is  so  high  that  it  will  at  least  keep  out 
competition  for  a  while." 


440  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Approximately  17,000  tons  were  thus  brought  from  Eng- 
land for  the  first  miles  constructed;  10,000  being  delivered  dur- 
ing 1851  and  1852,  and  the  remainder  the  following  year. 

From  another  schooner  alongside  the  "C.  Y.  Richmond," 
cedar  cross  ties,  cut  from  trees  along  the  lakes,  up  toward  what 
is  now  Evanston,  Illinois,  were  being  unloaded.  They  were  six 
inches  thick,  seven  inches  wide  and  varied  in  length  from  eight 
to  ten  feet. 

Soon  a  small  army  of  men  were  diligently  engaged  in  this 
work  of  railroad  building,  under  Samuel  B.  Reed,  an  engineer 
of  unusual  ability,  but  the  winter  proved  to  be  a  severe  one 
and  delays  and  hardships  were  many  and  exacting.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1851,  the  grading  was  completed  to  a  point  five  miles  south 
(now  Englewood)  where  the  trains  of  the  Northern  Indiana 
Railroad  were  wont  to  come  from  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  stop.  Re- 
gardless of  the  snow  and  chilling  rain,  regardless  of  the  wind- 
shipped  stretches  of  unprotected  prairie,  the  work  forged  ahead 
until  in  January,  1852,  rail  was  laid,  spiked  and  bolted  to  the 
proposed  point  of  connection  with  the  Northern  Indiana  line. 
On  May  22nd  of  that  year  the  trains  of  this  latter  line  began 
to  use  the  single  track  into  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  depot 
at  Twenty-second  Street,  and  later  at  Twelfth  Street,  which 
arrangement  continued  until  five  years  later,  when  a  second 
track  was  laid  into  the  city  from  the  point  of  connection,  five 
miles  south.  The  event  was  announced  by  President  Jervis 
as  "a  continuation  of  the  great  line  of  railroads  from  the  south 
shores  of  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Michigan,  coming  into  the  city 
and  using  the  tracks  of  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad 
Company,  a  distance  of  six  miles.  The  two  roads  will  occupy 
the  same  depot,  and  a  complete  commercial  connection  has 
been  established  between  the  two  companies  to  their  mutual 
satisfaction." 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  441 

And  that  depot !  A  plain  structure  of  wood,  sixty  feet  long 
and  twenty-five  feet  wide,  enjoying  the  luxury  of  coal  oil  lamps 
and  a  clean  coat  of  whitewash ! 

October,  1852,  saw  the  last  rail  joined  up  and  spiked  and 
the  track  surfaced  to  permit  the  operation  of  trains  between 
Chicago  and  Joliet. 

Addison  R.  Gilmore  (the  first  superintendent  appointed,  and 
who  served  but  a  short  while)  had  reported  to  both  Mr.  Far- 
nam  and  Mr.  Jervis  the  impatient  demands  made  upon  him  by 
the  residents  of  Blue  Island,  Mokena  and  Joliet  for  some  actual 
evidence  of  a  train,  and  after  a  general  conference  on  the  part 
of  the  president  with  the  contractors,  it  was  decided  that  sched- 
uled passenger  and  freight  service  should  forthwith  be  inau- 
gurated. 

A  locomotive  named  the  "Rocket"  and  one  of  three  secured 
from  the  Rogers  Company,  pending  delivery  of  the  eighteen 
originally  ordered  and,  which  were  then  building,  was  prop- 
erly groomed  and  decorated  to  handle  the  memorable  train,  the 
first  to  operate  over  the  iron  rails  of  the  great  present-day 
railroad  system  and  which  left  Twenty-second  Street,  Chicago, 
Sunday,  October  10,  1852,  at  10  a.  m. 

Although  the  small  frame  depot  at  Blue  Island  was  in  no 
way  ready  for  occupancy,  the  one  at  Mokena  hardly  started  as 
yet,  and  realizing  that  no  provision  for  turning  the  locomotive 
at  Joliet  as  yet  existed  and  that  the  return  trip  to  Chicago 
must  necessarily  be  a  "backup"  run,  the  insistence  of  Superin- 
tendent Gilmore  prevailed,  and  it  was  definitely  decided  that 
steam  transportation  should  be  started.  Mr.  Huntington,  the 
first  local  agent,  had  been  installed  at  Blue  Island  a  day  or  two 
before. 

When  the  "iron  horse  and  its  train  of  living  freight",  as 
stated  by  the  "Chicago  Daily  Democrat,"  reached  Joliet  and 
stopped  in  front  of  the  small,  one-story  frame  depot,  then  parti- 


442  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

ally  complete,  located  just  west  of  Eastern  avenue,  between 
Clinton  and  VanBuren  streets,  many  conflicting  emotions  arose 
within  the  breasts  of  those  who  witnessed  its  coming.  Exhila- 
ration and  enthusiasm  of  the  young  was  intermingled  with  the 
thankfulness  of  the  mature,  at  witnessing  this  unbelievable 
thing.  Dying  pessimism  gave  way  to  envy  and  ridicule  on  the 
part  of  those  whose  investments  were  identified  with  the  Illin- 
ois and  Michigan  Canal — because  public  sympathy  still  remain- 
ed divided  between  the  canals  and  waterways  as  being  the 
proper  means  of  transportation,  leaving  the  railroads  to  serve 
only  as  auxiliaries. 

As  the  train  was  about  to  leave  on  its  return  trip  to  Chicago, 
a  grayhaired  gentleman,  accompanied  by  a  girl  of  thirteen, 
hastily  boarded  one  of  the  coaches.  This  little  girl  afterwards 
became  Mrs.  W.  W.  Stevens,  now  a  resident  of  Hubbard  Woods, 
a  northern  suburb  of  Chicago,  and  who  well  remembers  the 
notable  event  and  many  of  the  prominent  resident  of  Joliet, 
who,  gathered  on  the  depot  platform,  purchased  tickets  from 
the  newly-appointed  station  agent — Mr.  M.  M.  Marsh — and 
joined  the  historic  party. 

"I  recall,"  she  stated,  "Mrs.  Hugh  Henderson,  Mrs.  George 
Woodruff,  Sr.,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  E.  Lowe,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Mc- 
Dougal,  Mrs.  C.  D.  A.  Parks,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  F.  Patrick,  Mrs. 
Edmond  Wilcox,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Adams,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
E.  C.  Fellows,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  B.  Reed,  Mrs.  Francis  Nicholson 
and  Miss  Kate  Nicholson.  On  our  arrival  at  Chicago,  the  Sher- 
man House  received  the  party  and  served  a  sumptuous  dinner 
to  the  visitors,  after  which  a  sight-seeing  tour  of  the  city  was 
made,  terminating  in  a  theater  party  later  on." 

Henceforth,  and  during  the  seventy  years  that  have  elapsed, 
not  a  day  has  passed  without  witnessing  the  coming  and  going 
of  one  or  more  trains  of  this  great  railroad  in  and  out  of 
Joliet. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  443 

The  first  section  of  the  present  system  of  the  Elgin,  Joliet 
&  Eastern  Railway  Company  was  built  in  1886  between  Joliet 
and  Aurora  by  the  Joliet,  Aurora  &  Northern  Railway  Com- 
pany which  was  acquired  by  the  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Rail- 
way in  1888.  The  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway  was  organ- 
ized March  18,  1887,  and  is  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Ill- 
inois. The  road  was  opened  in  1889  from  Spaulding  through 
Joliet  to  McCool,  Indiana,  and  from  Walker  to  South  Wilming- 
ton, Illinois.  The  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway  owns  212 
miles  of  main  track  and  767  miles  of  second  main  track  and 
side  tracks. 

The  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway  forms  a  belt  line 
around  the  City  of  Chicago  at  a  radius  of  approximately  thirty 
miles  from  the  center  of  the  City  and  connects  with  all  the 
railroads  entering  the  City  of  Chicago.  Its  northern  terminus 
is  at  Waukegan,  Illinois,  on  Lake  Michigan,  where  it  has  ex- 
tensive docks,  and  water  as  well  as  rail  connections.  It  extends 
to  the  southwest  and  south  through  various  small  towns,  and 
swings  to  the  southeast  and  east  through  the  City  of  Joliet, 
passing  directly  east  through  Chicago  Heights  to  the  Indiana 
State  Line  at  Dyer,  Indiana,  thence  northeasterly,  terminating 
at  Porter,  Indiana.  Another  line  extends  from  Griffith,  Indi- 
ana, to  Cavanaugh,  where  it  branches  to  Hammond  and  Whit- 
ing, Indiana,  and  connects  with  the  Chicago,  Lake  Shore  & 
Eastern  Railway,  extending  to  Gary,  Indiana,  and  South  Chi- 
cago, Illinois,  which  property  is  operated  by  the  Elgin,  Joliet 
&  Eastern  Railway  under  a  long-term  lease.  Branches  extend 
from  Normantown  to  Aurora,  Illinois;  from  Walker  to  the 
coal  fields  between  Carbon  Hill  and  South  Wilmington,  Illinois, 
and  from  Rockdale  Junction  to  Rockdale. 

In  Joliet,  connections  are  made  with  the  Joliet  &  Blue  Island 
Railway,  which  property  is  leased  to  the  Chicago,  Lake  Shore 
&  Eastern  Railway  under  a  long-term  lease  and  by  that  rail- 
way leased  to  the  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway. 


444  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway  Company  also  operates 
over  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  through  a  track- 
age agreement  made  by  that  company  with  the  Chicago,  Lake 
Shore  &  Eastern  Railway,  the  privilege  covering  practically 
the  entire  system  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  in 
Illinois  and  Indiana. 

The  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Railway  also  has  trackage 
rights  over  the  Indiana  Harbor  Belt  Railroad  from  Whiting, 
Indiana,  to  McCook,  Illinois,  and  for  short  pieces  of  track  over 
various  carriers  near  Chicago. 

No  passenger  trains  are  operated  by  the  Elgin,  Joliet  & 
Eastern  Railway.  A  very  heavy  freight  traffic  is  handled  over 
portions  of  the  main  line,  especially  between  Joliet  and  Gary, 
Indiana. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  BAR  IN  WILL  COUNTY. 


PREVIOUS     TO     1884— EARLY     DAY     LAWYERS— JUDGES— MEMBERS     OF     WILL 
COUNTY  BAR 

The  following  account  of  the  Bar  of  Will  County ;  previous 
to  1884,  is  from  the  Historical  Edition  of  the  Joliet  News, 
edited  by  James  H.  Ferriss,  and  published  in  1884.  Mr.  Ferriss 
was  a  good  student  of  human  nature  and  keen  to  detect  super- 
ior qualities.  His  account  of  the  early  bar  must  be  a  part  of 
Will  County  History. 

"From  our  earliest  history  we  have  had  able,  acute  and 
eloquent  representatives  of  the  legal  profession.  It  is  no  dis- 
paragement of  the  present  ones,  to  say  that  the  first  have  not 
been  surpassed  in  all  our  history.  The  first  one  in  point  of  time 
was  Mr.  Elisha  C.  Fellows,  who  came  first  to  Channahon  in 
1834,  and  hung  out  his  shingle  soon  after  in  Joliet;  and  from 
that  time  until  a  few  years  since  he  was  known  as  one  of  our 
shrewdest,  busiest  and  most  successful  lawyers. 

While  at  Channahon  he  married  a  most  estimable  lady — 
daughter  of  Judge  Peck,  an  early  and  most  substantial  citizen. 
He  was  especially  noted  as  a  criminal  lawyer,  and  generally  on 
the  side  of  the  defense.  For  a  brief  and  curious  portion  of  his 
life  here,  Mr.  Fellows  was  a  preacher  of  Millerism  and  an 
Abolitionist.  He  was  a  native  of  Columbia  County,  N.  Y.,  and 
died  at  Lockport,  111.,  in  August,  1876. 

445 


446  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

William  A.  Boardman  came  here  in  1836.  He  was  for  a 
time  a  partner  of  Judge  Henderson.  He  had  a  strong  and 
original  mind,  a  quaint  and  homely  style  of  address,  and  often 
raised  a  laugh  at  the  way  he  put  things.  He  removed  after  a 
few  years  to  Lake  County,  where  he  held  the  office  of  County 
Judge.  He  married  a  sister  of  Henry  Fish,  Esq.  His  death 
occurred  suddenly,  while  visiting  friends  in  this  county  in  1872. 

One  of  the  strongest  law  firms  we  had  was  that  of  Newkirk 
&  Wilson.  Newkirk  came  here  in  1836,  a  new  fledged,  but  in- 
dustrious and  well  read  lawyer.  His  peculiar  characteristics 
were  conscientious  devotion  to  his  client's  interest,  strict  atten- 
tion to  business,  and  tenacity  of  purpose.  He  left  here  after 
about  ten  years,  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Hudson,  N.  Y.  His 
partner,  John  M.  Wilson,  recently  deceased,  came  here  in  the 
summer  of  1835,  and  did  not  for  a  couple  of  years  enter  upon 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  in  which  he  became  eminent. 
He  removed  to  Chicago  and  became  Judge  of  the  Superior 
Court. 

Uri  Osgood  moved  here  the  same  year  our  County  was 
organized,  and  soon  became  very  prominent  in  his  profession 
and  in  politics  and  city  affairs.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Sen- 
ate in  1852,  and  was  Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  in 
1858.  He  died  suddenly  in  February,  1871,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
two. 

W.  E.  Little,  a  portion  of  the  time  a  partner  of  Osgood,  was 
a  young  man  of  great  brilliancy.  He  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  but  had  studied  his  profession  and  practiced  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  became  politically  prominent,  and  was  elected  by 
the  Democratic  party  to  represent  this  District  composed  of 
Will,  Dupage,  Iroquois,  and  Kendall  Counties,  in  the  General 
Assembly.  He  was  Chairman  of  Judiciary  Committee.  He 
died  in  September,  1851,  at  the  age  of  34. 

In  1839  Jesse  0.  Norton  came  to  Joliet  from  Missouri  where 
he  had  taught  school  for  a  year  or  two.    He  was  a  native  of 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  447 

Vermont,  and  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1831.  He  had 
a  judicial  mind  and  a  pleasing  address.  He  was  very  popular 
as  a  lawyer  and  a  man,  and  was  elected  County  Judge  in  1846 
and  1848 — was  chosen  to  represent  our  County  in  the  State 
Constitutional  Convention  of  1848,  elected  to  the  Legislature  in 

1850,  and  in  1852  was  chosen  to  represent  this  District  in  Con- 
gress, and  re-elected  in  1854.  In  1858  he  was  elected  Circuit 
Judge,  and  in  1862  again  elected  to  Congress.  In  1866  he  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  District  Attorney  for  Northern 
Illinois,  and  removed  to  Chicago.  In  1869  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Judge  J.  R.  Doolittle.  He  also  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  Counsel  to  the  city  of  Chicago.  He  died  August  3, 
1875,  and  his  remains  sleep  in  Oakwood. 

David  L.  Gregg  must  be  added  to  the  list  of  the  early  lights 
of  the  Will  County  Bar.  He  came  here  as  early  as  1838  or  9. 
In  1839  he  became  editor  of  our  first  newspaper  the  "Joliet 
Courier."  He  was  elected  by  the  Democrats  to  the  Legislature 
in  1840,  was  appointed  Secretary  of  State  by  Gov.  French  in 

1851,  was  only  beaten  two  votes  by  J.  A.  Matteson  for  the 
nomination  of  Governor  of  the  State,  was  appointed  Commis- 
sioner to  the  Sandwich  Island  by  President  Pierce,  and  after- 
wards to  a  Nevada  Land  Office,  where  he  died  in  1869. 

J.  E.  Streeter  who  was  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Nebraska,  was  for  several  years  a  Joliet  lawyer.  He 
labored  under  the  disadvantage  of  a  weak  constitution,  and  his 
ambition  was  far  beyond  his  strength.  He  was  a  fine  speaker 
and  at  the  commencement  of  our  war  his  voice  was  often  heard 
on  the  side  of  loyality  to  the  Union.  Had  he  possessed  a  con- 
stitution equal  to  his  mind  he  would  have  made  a  brilliant 
record. 

At  the  risk  of  getting  into  modern  history,  we  must  men- 
tion one  more  of  our  lawyers,  W.  C.  Goodhue,  the  son  of  good 
old  Deacon  Ezra  Goodhue,  of  Plainfield.  He  commenced  the 
practice  of  law  here  in  1867,  after  graduating  at  Knox  Col- 


448  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

lege.  A  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1870,  he 
was  one  of  the  Committee  that  prepared  the  address  of  the 
Convention  to  the  people  of  the  State.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
39,  in  October,  1870. 

Among  our  earliest  lawyers  was  Hugh  Henderson,  whose 
sons  are  well  known  citizens  of  Joliet,  at  the  present  time.  He 
came  to  Joliet  in  1836,  and  was  one  of  our  best  known  and 
ablest  counselors.  He  was  not  an  advocate.  He  was  first  in 
partnership  with  Boardman,  and  afterward  with  Wilson,  and 
was  elected  County  Judge  in  1837,  and  Circuit  Judge  in  1839, 
and  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  convention  of  1847.  His 
mind  was  eminently  judicial,  and  his  opinion  carried  great 
weight.  While  on  a  visit  to  his  native  place,  Norway,  Herki- 
mer County,  N.  Y.,  he  was  taken  sick,  and  died  in  October, 
1854.  With  his  name  we  close  our  notices  of  pioneer  lawyers. 
We  feel  all  the  pride  of  an  old  settler  in  the  able  and  brilliant 
list.  With  the  exception  of  J.  C.  Newkirk,  of  Hudson,  they 
have  all  gone  to  appear  before  a  higher  court — the  court  of 
last  resort. 

There  are  now  60  members  of  the  Bar  in  Will  County,  but 
not  all  of  whom  are  active  in  their  profession.  The  publishers 
endeavored  to  secure  portraits  and  sketches  of  all, — at  least 
those  who  are  still  pursuing  their  chosen  profession,  but  find 
it  a  larger  undertaking  than  they  could  well  manage.  How- 
ever, they  have  secured  a  goodly  number.  Joliet  has  every  rea- 
son to  be  proud  of  her  bar,  whether  due  from  early  example,  or 
whether  from  the  happy  selections  of  those  who  sit  upon  the 
judicial  bench  (regardless  of  political  preferences),  we  are 
unable  to  say ;  but  as  a  whole  we  are  quite  proud  of  their  gen- 
tlemanly bearing,  and  their  honorable  reputation  and  industry 
in  business  matters.  There  are  many  noble  characters  among 
the  profession,  and  we  are  quite  certain,  from  such  flippant 
remarks  as  are  found  in  the  comic  papers,  that  Joliet,  in 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 


449 


lawyers,  as  well  as  in  preachers  and  aldermen,  is  peculiarly- 
favored.    The  Bar  of  Will  County  consists  of  the  following: 


Samuel  Porter  Avery,  Joliet. 
Edward  Clay  Akin,  Joliet. 
John    Howard    Breckenridge, 

Joliet. 
Cyrus  Winthrop  Brown,  Joliet. 
Royal  Edward  Barber,  Joliet. 
Fred  Bennitt,  Joliet. 
Thomas  L.  Breckenridge, 

Joliet. 
Arthur  Charles  Clement, 

Joliet. 
Herbert  Dennie  Carpenter, 

Joliet. 
Samuel  F.  Goodspeed,  Joliet. 
Francis  Goodspeed,  Joliet. 
Thomas  Henry  Hutchins, 

Joliet. 
Joseph  H.  Hansen,  Joliet. 
Patrick  Columbus  Haley, 

Joliet. 
Chas.  Magnus  Henssgen, 

Joliet. 
Charles  Augustus  Hill,  Joliet. 
August  Franklin  Knox,  Joliet. 
Charles  Warner  Munn,  Joliet. 
William  Mooney,  Braidwood. 
William  S.  Myers,  Lockport. 
Asa  Frisbie  Mather,  Joliet. 
Ozias  McGoveny. 
Albert  O'Connell  Marshall, 

Joliet. 


Jas.  Lorenzo  O'Donnell, 
Joliet. 

Charles  H.  Pike,  Joliet. 

Howard  Malcom  Snapp,  Joliet. 

Amos  F.  Patrick,  Joliet. 

Sylvester  Winchester  Randall, 
Joliet. 

John  S.  Reynolds,  Braidwood. 

Henry  Snapp,  Joliet. 

William  Wallace  Stevens, 
Joliet. 

Samuel  C.  Camp,  Wilmington. 

John  Walsh  D'Arcy,  Wilming- 
ton. 

Stephen  Dowse,  Lockport. 

Dorrance  Dibell,  Joliet. 

Buel  Alphonso  Fuller,  Joliet. 

James  Riley  Flanders,  Joliet. 

John  Barnard  Fithian,  Joliet. 

James  Goodspeed,  Joliet. 

Charles  F.  Goodspeed,  Joliet. 

Charles  F.  Goodspeed,  Joliet. 

Charles  Bushnell  Garney, 
Joliet. 

William  Joseph  Heath,  Joliet. 

George  Stillman  House,  Joliet. 

Daniel  Frank  Higgins,  Joliet. 

Edward  Champlin  Hagar, 
Joliet. 

Jas.  W.  Johnson,  Wilmington. 


29— VOL.  1 


450  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Sylvester  Warner  Munn,  Gavian  D.  A.  Parks,  Joliet. 

Joliet.  Egbert  Phelps,  Joliet. 

Frank  E.  Munn,  Braidwood.  Peter  Shutts,  Joliet. 

John  Wesley  Merrill,  Wilming-  John  I.  Tait,  Joliet. 

ton.  Horace  Weeks,  Joliet. 

Josiah  McRoberts,  Joliet.  Charles  H.  Weeks,  Joliet. 

Eneshia  Meers,  Joliet.  Russell  Merritt  Wing,  Joliet. 

George  J.  Munroe,  Joliet.  Martin  Westphal,  Joliet. 
Benjamin  Olin,  Joliet. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


THE  CHURCHES. 


EARLY  MISSIONS — PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  ORGANIZED— FIRST  CONGREGA- 
TIONAL. CHURCH  ORGANIZED— ST.  PATRICK'S  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  BUILT— 
FATHER  PLUNKETT— CHRIST'S  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH— METHODISTS— UNI- 
VERSALIST— GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN— GERMAN  LUTHERAN- 
SWEDISH  LUTHERAN— BAPTISTS— SISTERS  OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER  OF  ST. 
FRANCIS 

The  following  history  of  the  churches  of  Joliet  and  Will 
County  is  taken  from  the  "Historical  Edition  of  the  Joliet 
News,"  published  in  1884  by  James  H.  Ferriss: 

"As  early  in  our  history  as  our  first  winter,  1834-5,  a  Mis- 
sionary of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  made  his 
appearance  here.  This  was  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Prentiss,  from  On- 
ondaga County.  After  spending  some  weeks  here,  the  guest 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Demmond,  and  preaching  at  least  on  each  side 
of  the  river,  he  returned  to  the  east  with  a  request  signed  by 
a  number  of  our  citizens,  to  the  A.  H.  M.  S.,  for  his  appointment 
to  this  place.  This  request  was  granted,  and,  in  the  spring  of 
1835,  he  came  on  with  his  family.  During  the  summer  he  built 
one  of  the  first  (perhaps  the  second)  houses  on  the  bluff,  living 
meanwhile  in  a  hastily  constructed  shanty  on  Bluff  street.  He 
commenced  preaching  at  once  in  such  places  as  could  be  had 
in  that  day,  and  on  August  12th,  1835  he  organized  a  Presby- 
terian church  with  the  following  members:  Simon  Z.  Havens, 
Josiah  Beaumong,  Cinda  Reed,  Emily  N.  Haven,  Delia  Butler, 

451 


452  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Stephen  Hubbard,  Daniel  Reed,  Elias  Haven,  Eliza  Prentiss, 
Eliza  Beaumont. 

"Bishop  Chase,  a  Missionary  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  organized  a  Church  in  May  of  the  same  year.  This 
was  the  present  Christ's  Church  Episcopal  organization. 

"The  first  religious  effort  in  the  county  was  the  establish- 
ment of  Father  Walker's  Mission  on  the  Du  Page,  one  mile 
south  of  the  present  village  of  Plainfield,  in  1829,  known  as  the 
Fox  River  Mission.  From  this  the  Joliet  Circuit  was  estab- 
lished in  1836,  of  which  the  venerable  Stephen  R.  Beggs  was 
first  elder,  and  who  organized  a  church  here  in  1857,  and  com- 
menced the  work  of  building  the  first  church  erected  in  the 
city.  There  had  no  doubt  previously  been  preaching,  and 
classes  organized  on  the  ground. 

"These  two  last  named  churches  have  continued  from  the 
day  of  their  organization  to  the  present,  without  any  interrup- 
tion; but  the  church  organized  by  Mr.  Prentiss,  after  living  a 
few  years  under  his  charge,  and  during  its  existence  reaching 
a  membership  of  47,  in  1838  was  left  without  a  shepherd  and 
soon  suffered  their  candle  to  go  out. 

"A  revival,  however,  occurred  in  January,  1839,  under  the 
preaching  and  labors  of  Hiram  and  Lucius  Foot,  at  which  time 
a  church  was  organized  under  the  name  of  Union  Church,  with 
Congregational  form  of  government.  This  church  was  a  very 
flourishing  one  for  some  years,  and  until  extinguished  by  Mil- 
lerism  and  other  isms,  about  1844. 

"Thereupon  was  organized  the  First  Congregational  Church 
under  the  auspices  of  Rev.  B.  W.  Dwight.  This,  with  the  change 
of  name,  is  the  present  Central  Presbyterian  Church.  A  Bap- 
tist Church,  which  antedates  the  present  one,  was  organized 
by  Elder  Ashley  as  early  as  1837.  This  was  afterwards  in  the 
charge  of  the  venerable  Solomon  Knapp,  and  held  its  meet- 
ings in  the  old  Court  House  and  Jail. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  453 

"The  letting  of  canal  contracts  from  1836  on  brought  to 
our  town  and  all  along  the  line  great  numbers  of  Irish  laborers, 
most  of  whom  were  Catholics.  Of  course  a  priest  would  soon 
be  on  the  ground  to  look  after  their  spiritual  interests.  The 
first  one  in  this  vicinity  was  Father  Plunkett,  who  made  Joliet 
his  headquarters,  although  his  mission  led  him  up  and  down 
the  canal  from  Dresden  to  Lemont.  He  commenced  the  build- 
ing of  St.  Patrick's  Church,  on  Broadway,  as  early  as  1838, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  in  the  Chicago  diocese.  The  funds 
for  its  erection  were  mainly  raised  by  Father  Plunkett  from 
the  laborers  and  contractors  along  the  canal.  But  his  greatest 
efficiency,  not  to  say  usefulness,  was  seen  in  the  handsome 
and  rapid  manner  in  which  he  could  quell  a  riot.  For  in  those 
days  the  Irishmen  (now  among  our  most  quiet  and  order-loving 
citizens)  had  not  become  acclimated,  and  very  much  inclined  to 
be  pugnacious,  especially  when  under  the  influence  of  an  extra 
allowance  of  jiggers,  and  those  were  the  days  when  "wakes" 
had  not  become  obsolete,  and  when  they  came  pretty  often. 
But  no  sooner  did  the  "byes"  get  well  engaged  at  their  favorite 
amusement  of  breaking  each  other's  heads,  than  Father  Plun- 
kett, armed  with  his  big  black  leather  horse-whip  appeared 
upon  the  scene.  No  "broth  of  a  boy"  ever  thought  of  doing 
anything  except  getting  away  out  of  the  reach  of  his  Rev- 
erend's gad  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"It  is  many  years  now  since  we  have  heard  of  a  Catholic 
priest  doing  police  duty,  but  it  was  a  necessity  of  the  times  of 
canal  digging.  Father  Plunkett  came  to  his  end  very  suddenly. 
When  riding  on  horseback  through  a  piece  of  woods  near 
Channahon,  in  a  severe  March  storm,  and  riding  very  fast, 
with  his  head  bent  to  shield  his  face,  he  struck  a  tree  with  his 
head,  with  such  force  as  to  produce  instant  death.  We  well 
remember  his  funeral.  He  was  buried  in  the  basement  of  the 
church  he  had  built.    It  was  not  completed,  although  enclosed, 


454  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and  the  bank  of  gravel  into  which  the  foundation  of  the  church 
was  run  from  Broadway  had  not  been  removed,  and  he  was 
buried  in  it,  at  about  the  center  of  the  church  as  it  then  was. 
Of  course  we  need  not  say  that  all  this  has  now  been  removed. 

"Christ's  Episcopal  Church,  which  is  the  oldest  organiza- 
tion (though  the  edifice,  which  is  now  torn  down  to  make  way 
for  the  new  structure),  was  not  built  until  1857,  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Lock.  This  veteran  church  was  organized  on  the  16th  day 
of  May,  1835,  by  Bishop  Chase,  the  first  Episcopal  bishop  of 
Illinois.  Its  original  members  were  Comstock  Hanford,  John 
Griswold,  Miles  Rice,  Orlin  Westover,  A.  W.  Bowen  and  wife, 
Julia  Ann  Hanford,  and  Amoreth  Griswold.  Rev.  Andrew 
Cornish  was  its  first  rector. 

"The  new  church  building  is  to  be  of  stone,  and  will  be  of 
the  old  English  style,  as  seen  in  our  engraving,  with  a  chapel 
connected.  It  will  cost  about  $15,000  and  be  more  commodious 
than  the  old  church,  which  was  inadequate  to  answer  the  de- 
mands of  the  increasing  flock.  There  will  be  several  handsome 
memorial  windows  in  the  church,  which  will  be  finished  off 
inside  in  a  very  superior  manner.  It  will  have-  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  about  700,  and  its  dimensions  will  be  about  120  by 
60.  The  chapel  will  be  added  on  the  east  side  of  the  church 
proper  and  will  be  about  50  by  40  feet  in  size.  The  two  will  be 
connected  by  a  covered  archway,  and  together  will  form  a 
striking  group.  This  church  will  be  ready  for  the  semi-cen- 
tennial of  their  organization  next  year. 

"As  before  stated,  the  first  church  edifice  in  Joliet  was 
built  by  the  Methodists  in  1838.  In  1852,  a  brick  church  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  $10,000  including  a  parsonage.  This  building 
was  burned  down  in  1859,  and  the  same  year  a  building  on 
Ottawa  Street  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $8,000.  It  was  remod- 
eled at  different  times,  and  was  one  of  the  most  commodious 
churches  in  the  city.  The  Rolling  Mill  chapel  under  the  care 
of  this  church  was  built  in  1874,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  455 

(Note  by  editor — This  church  property  was  sold  in  1908.  A 
new  church  was  erected  in  that  year  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Cass  and  Ottawa  streets.  This  is  modern  in  every  detail. 
It  is  maintained  with  care  and  presided  over  by  capable  pas- 
tors.   The  present  pastor  (1928)  is  Win.  C.  Godden.) 

"There  are  several  claimants  to  the  honor  of  having 
preached  the  first  sermon  in  this  place.  Father  Beggs  and 
others  laid  claim  to  the  honor,  which  has  never  been  fully 
decided. 

"The  Richards  Street  M.  E.  Church  is  an  off-shoot  of  the 
Ottawa  Street  church.  The  building  was  erected  in  1877  at  a 
cost,  including  the  parsonage,  of  $5,500  and  was  extensively 
remodeled  during  the  year  1884,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  so  that  now 
it  was  one  of  the  neatest  and  most  comfortable  churches  in 
the  city.  A  full  history  of  this  church  is  given  in  another 
place. 

"St.  John's  Universalist  Church  was  organized  in  1836,  by 
Rev.  Aaron  Kinney.  Until  the  flock  erected  a  church  they 
used  the  old  Court  House  for  a  time,  and  then  fitted  up  rooms 
on  Chicago  Street  for  their  place  of  worship.  Their  first  church 
edifice  was  built  about  1840,  and  dedicated  by  the  Rev.  W.  W. 
Dean.  It  was  a  frame  building  and  cost  about  $1,800.  In  1856 
an  elegant  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $20,000  and 
was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Henry  Walworth.  It  had  a  large  and 
increasing  membership  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  H. 
Laing." 

The  development  of  Chicago  Street  for  business  was  rapid 
and  made  property  valuable.  The  Universalist  Church  corner 
was  too  valuable  to  be  idle  so  much  of  the  time.  In  1894  this 
society  erected  a  business  block  with  an  auditorium,  Sunday- 
school  rooms,  kitchen  and  office  in  the  east  end  and  stores  on 
Chicago  Street.  The  entrance  to  the  auditorium  is  on  Clinton 
Street.    The  present  pastor  (1928)  is  Rev.  W.  H.  Macpherson. 


456  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

The  First  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  is  an  off-shoot  of 
the  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  on  the  West  Side,  of  which 
Rev.  Christian  Sans  became  pastor  in  1860.  In  1871,  the  separa- 
tion took  place,  and  the  East  Side  members  under  Rev.  Sans  or- 
ganized under  the  title  of  the  First  German  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran Church.  Their  edifice  was  erected  on  North  Ottawa 
Street,  and  cost  nearly  $10,000.  This  building  was  replaced  in 
1904  by  a  splendid  edifice  modern  in  every  detail. 

St.  Peter's  German  Lutheran  is  situated  on  the  West  Side, 
and  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Missouri  Synod.  A  large 
stone  edifice  was  erected  at  a  very  considerable  cost.  It  is  a 
handsome  building,  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  city,  standing 
upon  the  brow  of  the  bluff,  and  overlooking  the  entire  city.  A 
large  organ  has  been  placed  in  the  building,  and  the  organiza- 
tion was  conducted  in  a  thrifty  manner  by  Rev.  C.  Schuessler 
for  many  years. 

The  Swedish  people  built  a  church  at  a  cost  of  over  $7,000 
during  the  year  1884,  corner  Benton  and  Collins  Streets.  It 
has  a  seating  capacity  of  500.  Rev.  V.  Setterdahl,  one  of  the 
first  Swedish  Lutherans  in  America,  a  gentleman  of  great  abil- 
ity as  an  organizer,  had  charge.  There  was  also  a  mission  in 
connection  with  this  church,  on  Clay  Street  near  Collins. 

The  Evangelical  Church  was  situated  on  the  corner  of  Her- 
kimer and  Cass  streets.  It  was  a  small  frame  building  well 
suited  to  the  needs  of  the  congregation.  Business  houses 
crowded  around  it,  and  made  it  too  valuable  to  hold,  so  they 
sold  it  and  built  another  church  on  Second  Avenue  and  Hobbs 
Avenue.  In  1926  this  congregation  purchased  the  edifice  built 
by  the  Baptists  at  Second  and  Baker  avenues. 

The  first  religious  endeavors  of  the  Presbyterians  were  in- 
augurated by  Rev.  J.  H.  Prentiss,  in  the  winter  of  1834-35.  It 
had  a  varying  success  until  in  1844  the  Central  Presbyterian 
Church  society  was  organized  by  Rev.  W.  Dwight.  In  1852, 
they  erected  the  edifice  in  Ottawa  Street,  and  in  1871  enlarged 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  457 

it  at  a  cost  of  several  thousand  dollars.  Rev.  J.  H.  Lewis  was 
in  charge  for  many  years  and  the  church  and  its  Sunday  school 
were  both  largely  attended.  This  church  was  a  frame  building, 
with  stone  basement,  and  was  a  commodious  structure.  As 
was  the  case  with  other  churches  mentioned  above,  business 
crowded  too  close,  making  property  valuable.  A  down-town 
church  did  not  attract.  The  Ottawa  Street  property  was  sold 
and  a  large  church  was  erected  on  Richards  Street  and  First 
Avenue  in  1895-1896.  The  present  pastor  (1928)  is  Edward 
E.  Hastings.  The  Sunday  school  has  modern  rooms  and  equip- 
ment and  is  well  attended.    The  church  is  prosperous. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  1866,  with 
fourteen  original  members.  The  church,  which  is  of  stone,  and 
is  situated  on  the  corner  of  Cass  and  Broadway  on  the  West 
Side,  was  erected  in  1857  at  a  cost  of  $9,000.  It  has  since  been 
enlarged  and  a  steeple  added.  Rev.  Thomas  M.  Gunn  was  in 
charge  in  1877  and  continued  there  for  many  years. 

This  congregation  has  been  prosperous  throughout  its  his- 
tory. In  1926,  a  handsome  edifice  was  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Raynor  Avenue  and  Western  Avenue.  It  cost  a  quarter  of  a 
million  dollars.  It  has  gymnasium,  modern  kitchen,  modern 
Sunday  school  quarters  and  a  beautiful  auditorium.  The  pres- 
ent pastor  (1928)  is  Rev.  Arthur  W.  Hoffman. 

St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  one  of  the  oldest 
Catholic  churches  in  the  Diocese  of  Chicago.  The  society  of 
St.  Patrick  was  organized  in  1838,  under  Rev.  Father  Plunkett 
who  built  their  elegant  stone  church  on  Broadway  at  a  cost 
of  about  $25,000.  In  1884,  between  two  hundred  and  three  hun- 
dred families  worshipped  at  this  sanctuary  and  there  was  also 
a  well  attended  Sunday  school.  Father  Powers  was  priest  of 
this  parish  for  some  years.  In  1868  the  parish  was  divided 
and  another  formed  on  the  East  Side  and  known  as  St.  Mary's 
parish  and  was  placed  under  charge  of  Rev.  P.  M.  Flannigan, 
afterwards  succeeded  by  Rev.  P.  W.  Riordan.    In  1878,  Rev. 


458  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Maurice  Burke,  took  charge  and  carried  on  the  erection  of  the 
handsome  new  church  building,  already  commenced  by  Rev. 
Father  Murphy.  The  church  was  dedicated  with  impressive 
ceremonies  on  the  15th  of  August,  1882,  by  Archbishop  Fee- 
han.  The  building  is  of  Joliet  limestone,  one  hundred  and 
thirty-two  feet  long  by  seventy  feet  wide,  and  is  a  beautiful 
specimen  of  Gothic  architecture.  The  cost  of  this  magnificent 
structure  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  $65,000.  It  was  com- 
menced in  1877,  and  on  the  12th  of  August,  of  that  year,  the 
corner  stone  was  laid  by  the  late  Bishop  Foley,  assisted  by  the 
reverend  father  of  this  church,  Rev.  Thos.  B.  Murphy.  After 
eight  months  of  labor  in  getting  the  work  fairly  under  way, 
Father  Murphy  suddenly  died,  and  the  assistant  pastor,  Rev. 
Maurice  F.  Burke,  was  called  to  its  charge.  Father  Burke's 
work  was  great  and  arduous,  but  just  five  years  and  three 
days  after  the  laying  of  the  cornerstone,  the  reverend  gentle- 
man had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  labor  crowned  with  suc- 
cess, in  the  dedication  of  the  building.  The  roof  is  of  slate, 
and  the  hard  wood  finish  of  the  interior  is  at  once  beautiful 
and  lasting.  The  spire  is  just  202  feet  high  and  contains  a 
bell  weighing  6,185  pounds.  The  auditorium  is  heated  by  steam. 
The  walls  and  partitions  are  finished  in  a  brownish  gray,  while 
the  large  arches  are  of  Nile  green  and  the  ornamental  stucco 
in  cream  color  with  delicate  gold  stripping.  The  altar  is  40  feet 
high  by  16  feet  wide,  the  altar  piece  is  a  life-size  figure  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  copied  from  Murillo's  celebrated  "Immaculate 
Conception."  Above  the  altar  is  a  beautiful  design  in  stained 
glass.  The  organ  is  25  feet  high,  and  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
city.  The  church  has  at  present  a  total  membership  of  over 
600  families. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  city  of  Joliet  increased  the  mem- 
bership of  Saint  Patrick's  Church  so  much  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  divide  the  parish  again.  This  was  done  in  1918.  The 
old  edifice  on  Broadway  was  abandoned  and  St.  Patrick's  parish 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  459 

built  a  church  on  Marion  Street  near  Raynor  Avenue  to  ac- 
commodate the  families  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  city.  St. 
Raymond's  parish  built  a  splendid  house  of  worship  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  city  on  Raynor  Avenue.  Both  of  these 
parishes  maintain  excellent  schools  in  connection  with  the 
churches. 

St.  John's  German  Church  was  organized  in  1852  on  the 
West  Side,  and  the  erection  of  their  church  was  immediately 
commenced.  In  1866,  a  larger  and  more  costly  stone  church 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $40,000.  There  is  in  connection 
with  the  church  a  large  parsonage  which  is  occupied  by  the 
priests  and  Franciscan  monks.  About  300  German  families 
worship  at  this  church.  Rev.  Gerard  Becher  was  in  charge, 
having  under  him  the  monks  of  the  Franciscan  order  who  have 
also  charge  of  St.  Joseph's  hospital,  a  large,  much-needed  and 
well-conducted  institution. 

Will  County  Baptist  History. — (Contributed  by  J.  Stanley 
Brown — From  "Journal  of  Illinois  State  Historical  Society," 
October,  1919.) 

The  beginnings  of  things  are  always  interesting,  but  when 
they  relate  to  the  struggles  of  a  small  band  of  pioneers  in  the 
attempt  to  gain  a  foothold  for  their  particular  form  of  re- 
ligious belief,  these  early  records  become  inspiring  as  well  as 
interesting. 

The  earliest  account  of  an  organized  Baptist  body  that  we 
have  been  able  to  discover  in  Will  County  dates  back  to  the 
early  part  of  1834.  In  1832,  the  American  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety sent  the  Reverend  Jeremiah  Porter,  a  Congregationalist, 
to  the  Hadley  district.  He  was  accompanied  by  Rev.  A.  B. 
Freeman,  who  in  all  probability  organized  the  O'Plaine  Church 
at  "Yankee  Settlement,"  the  name  by  which  Homer,  one  of  the 
first  settled  townships  in  Will  County,  was  best  known.  Mr. 
Freeman  is  said  to  have  baptized  the  first  person  ever  bap- 


460  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tized  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Michigan.  Later  the  OTlaine 
church  was  called  the  Hadley  Baptist  Church,  or  perhaps  more 
correctly  affiliated  with  that  body.  Hadley  village  was  in  the 
extreme  eastern  part  of  Homer  Township,  and  seventy-five 
years  ago  was  in  flourishing  condition  but  now  it  is  hard  to 
determine  where  the  village  was  located.  Dr.  Moses  Porter, 
the  first  practicing  physician  in  this  district  (who  resided  at 
Hadley),  gave  the  ground  on  which  the  first  church  at  Hadley 
was  built  in  1840.  Previous  to  the  erection  of  this  modest  build- 
ing, public  worship  was  frequently  held  in  the  groves  which 
we  are  told  were  "God's  first  temples,"  and  the  people  were 
seated  on  rough  benches  sometimes  reaching  from  one  stump 
to  another.  Owing  to  the  natural  changes  in  weather  we  may 
infer  that  these  services  were  by  no  means  regular.  But  these 
early  settlers  were  of  sturdy  stock,  and  not  easily  daunted, 
and  the  building  which  stood  for  courage  and  sacrifice  was  at 
last  dedicated,  and  occupied  by  the  Baptists  as  a  church  until 
1903.  In  the  early  forties,  Rev.  Solomon  Knapp  was  pastor 
of  this  church,  followed  later  by  Rev.  J.  D.  Dibell,  father  of 
Judge  Dibell,  of  more  than  local  fame.  Mr.  Dibell  was  pastor 
of  the  church  in  1850.  In  1905  when  the  building  ceased  to  be 
used  as  a  church,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  gift,  the  land 
reverted  to  the  farm,  which  by  this  time  was  owned  by  A.  C. 
Cutler.  The  organization  was  transferred  to  Marley,  and  the 
parsonage  was  removed  to  that  place,  after  which  the  church 
was  bought  by  a  farmer  who  used  it  for  a  barn.  "To  what 
base  uses  do  we  come  at  last." 

A  Baptist  society  was  organized  at  Plainfield  in  1834.  Rev. 
J.  E.  Ambrose  was  the  first  pastor.  The  original  members 
were:  Leonard  Moore  and  wife,  Rebecca  Carmen,  Thomas 
Rickey  and  wife,  and  Albert  B.  Hubbard;  their  first  church 
building  was  erected  in  1836. 

The  Dupage  Baptist  Church  was  organized  August  26, 1834. 
On  that  occasion,  Elder  Tolman  preached  from  Malachi  3:10. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  461 

The  charter  members  were:  Mr.  Freeman,  Alvina  Boardman, 
Hiram  Warren  and  wife,  and  daughter,  Samantha,  and  Candace 
Godfrey. 

The  first  Baptist  Church  in  Joliet  was  organized  by  Elder 
Ashley  of  Plainfield,  in  1837.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in 
the  school  building  on  Broadway,  and  Rev.  R.  B.  Ashley  served 
the  church  as  pastor  one-half  of  the  time  for  one  year.  The 
first  members  of  the  church  were  Mrs.  Sophia  B.  Chancey,  Mrs. 
Hannah  Cagwin,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Higinbotham,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Denison  Green,  Elijah  Johnson  and  Rev.  R.  V.  Ashley.  In  1840 
Rev.  Solomon  Knapp  became  pastor  of  the  church,  but  meetings 
were  held  very  irregularly  until  1853,  when  on  the  sixteenth 
of  February  a  council  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  reorganiz- 
ing the  society.  Rev.  R.  B.  Ashley  presided  at  the  council  and 
the  following  persons  united  as  members:  Michael  and  Mar- 
garet Tait,  Thomas  Tait,  Prudence  Burdick,  J.  B.  Wait,  Jesse 
Kyrk,  Eliza  Henry,  F.  Crouch,  Eliza  Crouch,  Henry  Watkins, 
Julius  C.  and  Sarah  Williams.  The  following  letter  was  brought 
to  the  church  by  Michael  and  Margaret  Tait: 

"These  certify  whom  it  may  concern  That  the  Bearers  here- 
of, Michail  and  Margaret  Taitt,  have  been  Members  of  the 
Baptist  Church  here  for  nearly  Twelve  years;  dureing  which 
time,  they  have  conducted  themselves  with  strick  propriety  in 
every  part  of  their  Deportment,  and  leave  us  in  full  com- 
munion, their  absence  much  regreted,  as  it  will  be  much  felt 
by  the  Church  in  general,  and  by  their  more  intimate  friends 
and  connections  in  particular. 

Sinclair  Thompson,  on  behalf  of  the  Baptist 
Church  assembling  in  Dunropnep,  Shetland. 
"Spiggle,  May  12th,  1833." 

These  meetings  were  held  in  the  courthouse  until  the  fall 
of  1857,  when  they  determined  to  erect  a  place  of  worship.  In 
July,  1858,  Mrs.  S.  F.  Savage,  whose  husband  had  been  a  suc- 
cessful pastor  in  New  England,  but  was  now  an  invalid,  went 


462  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

back  to  the  scenes  of  other  days,  and  from  old  personal  friends 
and  others  who  became  interested,  obtained  in  the  course  of 
six  months  the  handsome  sum  of  $3,000.  That  amount,  with 
what  was  subscribed  at  home,  was  sufficient  to  build  a  hand- 
some church  building  at  the  corner  of  Scott  and  Van  Buren 
streets. 

In  1892  the  Eastern  Avenue  Church  withdrew  from  the 
First  Church  and  was  organized  with  Rev.  H.  J.  White  as  pas- 
tor. For  two  years  this  body  worshiped  in  Hobbs'  hall,  while 
their  church  building  was  in  process  of  construction  at  the 
corner  of  Eastern  Avenue  and  VanBuren  Street.  The  first 
officers  of  the  church  were:  Clerk,  G.  L.  Vance;  treasurer,  E.  E. 
Howard;  trustees,  S.  W.  Lull,  F.  P.  Golliday,  D.  H.  Darling, 
J.  G.  Patterson,  J.  E.  Bush,  E.  E.  Howard,  Frank  Bush,  Solo- 
mon Williams,  and  Dorrance  Dibell.  This  church  has  been  very 
fortunate  in  its  selection  of  pastors,  and  much  aggressive  work 
has  been  done  in  the  community. 

In  1917  the  space  occupied  by  this  church  was  required  by 
the  high  school  and  was  sold  to  that  body,  since  which  time  the 
Eastern  Avenue  Baptist  Church  has  worshipped  in  the  Masonic 
Temple,  which  seemed  the  most  available  building  to  be  had, 
but  the  members  are  looking  forward  hopefully  to  the  time 
when  it  will  seem  feasible  to  erect  a  suitable  place  of  worship. 

The  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  Lockport  by  Rev. 
Solomon  Knapp  in  1844  with  twenty-one  members.  Some  years 
later  their  church  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  It 
is  to  be  regretted  that  that  building  has  not  been  occupied  for 
several  years.  The  church  was  at  one  time  quite  flourishing 
under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  John  Higby,  now  in  Pennsylvania. 

A  German  Baptist  Society  was  organized  about  the  year 
1855  in  Green  Garden  by  Rev.  H.  Jacobs,  and  six  years  later  a 
fine  church  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,400. 

The  Baptists  built  a  very  neat  place  of  worship  in  Elwood 
in  1859.    This  building  is  converted  into  a  Masonic  Lodge  build- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  463 

ing  and  has  been  used  by  them  for  a  score  of  years  or  more. 
Thus  it  continues  as  a  place  of  worship. 

In  1863  a  Baptist  Church  was  built  in  Frankfort.  Rev. 
David  Letts  was  the  first  pastor. 

A  Baptist  church  was  built  in  Wilton  Center,  formerly 
called  "Twelve  Mile  Grove,"  in  1868.  This  was  a  well-known 
and  famous  locality  frequented  by  hunters  who  knew  of  the 
prevalence  of  deer,  wild  turkeys,  prairie  chickens,  and  other 
game;  it  was  also  an  Indian  reservation  and  the  trail  from 
the  Des  Plaines  timber  to  the  Kankakee  River  led  directly 
through  it,  so  that  "Twelve  Mile  Grove"  often  furnished  an 
excellent  camping  place  for  the  Indians. 

A  Swedish  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  Joliet  on  the 
ninth  day  of  October,  1881.  Four  of  the  original  members 
were  received  by  letter  from  the  English-speaking  Baptist 
Church,  five  by  letter  from  Sweden,  and  three  were  received 
after  baptism  a  week  later. 

In  1908  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Joliet  erected  a  fine 
house  of  worship  in  Brooklyn,  an  east  side  suburb  of  Joliet, 
and  are  doing  an  excellent  work  in  that  community. 

Centenary  Camp  Meeting  Association  of  the  Joliet  district 
was  organized,  as  recorded  in  Book  102,  page  546,  Recorder's 
office  of  Will  County,  as  follows:  A  meeting  was  held  at  the 
M.  E.  Church  in  Joliet,  November  9,  1867,  in  accordance  with 
due  notice  previously  given,  at  which  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  from  different  parts  of  the  Joliet  District  of  the  said 
Church  had  under  consideration  the  interests  of  the  said  Church 
in  immediate  connection  with  purchase  of  Camp  Meeting 
Ground  within  the  bounds  of  the  said  district.  Rev.  W.  F. 
Stewart,  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  called  the  meeting  to 
order  and  Henry  Fish  was  elected  secretary.  Rev.  W.  P.  Gray 
offered  the  following  resolution,  which,  after  discussion,  were 
adopted : 


464  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Resolved,  I.  That  we  organize  ourselves  into  a  camp-meet- 
ing society. 

Resolved,  II.  That  the  association  shall  be  known  as  the 
Centenary  Camp  Meeting  Association  of  Joliet  District. 

Resolved,  III.  That  we  elect  nine  (9)  Trustees  to  serve  for 
three  (3)  years  and  until  the  successors  are  elected. 

Resolved,  IV.  That  the  annual  election  to  fill  vacancies  be 
held  sometime  during  the  cession  of  the  Annual  Camp  Meeting, 
the  day  of  the  election  to  be  determined  by  the  presiding  elder 
of  Joliet  District. 

Resolved,  V.  That  the  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Joliet  Dis- 
trict shall  be,  ex  officio,  President  of  the  society.  The  society 
then  proceeded  to  elect  trustees  by  ballot  and  the  following 
persons  were  declared  elected: 

Otis  Hardy,  of  Joliet. 

Abel  Bliss,  of  New  Lenox. 

John  Crawford,  of  Wilmington. 

Harvey  Evans,  of  Plainfield. 

Elijah  L.  Brayton,  of  Blue  Island. 

Russell  Segar,  of  Yellow  Head. 

Joseph  Lewis,  of  Channahon. 

John  L.  Jessup,  of  Wilmington. 

John  S.  McGrath,  of  Lisbon. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned. 

In  the  office  in  Book  116  on  page  602,  one  finds  the  deed 
for  the  Centenary  Camp  Meeting  Grounds  of  New  Lenox,  in 
which  Otis  Hardy  and  wife,  and  William  F.  Stewart  and  wife 
sold  to  the  trustees  of  the  Centenary  Camp  Meeting  Associa- 
tion of  the  Joliet  District,  named  above,  the  land  which  is  still 
held,  for  two  thousand  one  hundred  dollars  ($2,100). 

This  organization  is  probably  the  oldest  corporation  exist- 
ing without  change  of  name  in  Will  County.  It  has  been  a 
powerful  force  for  good  during  all  of  the  intervening  years 
throughout  the  district.    Each  year  it  was  the  gathering  place 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  465 

for  thousands  of  people  from  all  parts  of  the  district.  They 
gathered  to  get  help  for  a  better  life.  As  a  social  gathering 
and  a  "vacation"  in  times  when  the  annual  vacation  was  un- 
known, it  served  a  great  good  and  could  have  justified  its 
existence  for  that  alone.  Changes  in  travel,  and  communica- 
tion through  the  press,  magazines,  mail  deliveries  for  rural 
folks,  and  the  radio  have  made  camp  meetings  undesirable. 
However,  the  Association  still  presents  strong  hopes  for  good 
in  the  Institute  for  Young  People  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Congregation  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Third  Order  of  Saint 
Francis  of  Mary  Immaculate,  Joliet,  Illinois. — The  establish- 
ment of  this  congregation  dates  from  the  year  1863,  the  time 
of  political  disquietude  and  differences  in  the  United  States. 
The  consequent  disturbances  affected  not  only  the  civil  condi- 
tions of  America  and  Europe,  but  those  of  religious  institutions 
and  its  members  as  well.  In  the  latter  case  it  became  necessary 
in  some  instances  to  sever  connections  with  the  European 
foundations,  and  for  individuals  with  their  respective  houses 
in  America.  So  it  came  to  pass  that  four  members  of  the  Holy 
Cross  Sisterhood  at  Notre  Dame,  Indiana,  sought  dispensation 
from  their  obligations  to  that  congregation,  which  was  granted 
to  them  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  J.  H.  Luers,  bishop  of  Ft.  Wayne,  Indi- 
ana. They  then  sought  affiliation  with  the  Third  Regular  Order 
of  Saint  Francis.  They  obtained  an  affiliation  with  this  great 
Franciscan  Order  under  the  direction  of  the  Very  Reverend 
Pamfilo  da  Magliono,  Custos  Provincial  of  the  Friars  Minor  of 
the  Province  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  at  Allegany,  Catar- 
augas  County,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

At  this  time  Reverend  Karl  Kuemen,  pastor  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist  Church  at  Joliet,  Illinois,  heard  of  these  Sisters  and 
offered  to  engage  them  as  teachers  for  his  school.  The  offer 
was  gladly  accepted  and  the  work  of  education  begun  on  the 
third  of  November,  1863.     On  August  2,  1865,  the  Rt.  Rev. 

30— VOL.  1 


466  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

James  Duggan,  bishop  of  Chicago,  approved  this  little  com- 
munity, thus  establishing  them  as  the  first  community  of  re- 
ligious teachers  in  Joliet,  as  well  as  the  first  Franciscan  Sister- 
hood in  the  State  of  Illinois. 

On  this  same  date  Mother  Mary  Alfred  Moes  was  appointed 
superior  general  of  the  new  congregation  for  an  indefinite  time, 
and  on  the  8th  of  August,  1867,  the  congregation  was  canonic- 
ally  aggregated  to  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  by  document. 
At  this  time  the  Very  Rev.  Pamfilo  was  called  to  Rome.  Then 
the  young  congregation  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  his 
secretary,  Rev.  Diomede  Falconio,  0.  F.  M.,  who  later  on  be- 
came cardinal  protector  of  the  congregation.  His  successor  as 
provincial  of  the  Friars  Minor  in  the  East  and  as  director  of 
the  Sisters  in  Joliet  was  the  Very  Rev.  Charles  da  Vizzani, 
0.  F.  M.,  of  Italy.  He  was  commissioned  by  the  bishop  of 
Chicago,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Thomas  Foley,  to  preside  at  the  election 
of  a  new  superior  general,  August  21,  1876.  After  this  canoni- 
cal act  the  Sisters  at  Joliet  were  withdrawn  from  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Eastern  Franciscans  and  placed  under  the  direction 
of  the  Friars  Minor  of  the  Province  of  Sacred  Heart,  then  at 
Teutopolis,  Illinois.  Since  that  time  these  fathers  have  attended 
to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Sisters,  of  the  students  of  the 
academy  and  of  the  college,  and  of  the  orphans  with  the  great- 
est fidelity. 

After  the  first  decade  of  years  with  its  struggles  and  priva- 
tions were  past,  the  Joliet  House  became  more  widely  known. 
The  Rev.  Alexander  Christi — since  1899  archbishop  of  Oregon 
City,  Oregon,  and  now  deceased — recommended  the  Sisters  to 
Bishop  Grace  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota  for  the  establishment  of 
schools  in  his  diocese  for  higher  education  of  girls.  The  stipu- 
lations were  that  the  motherhouse  at  Joliet  defray  all  expenses 
for  building  and  equipment.  The  necessary  funds  being  on 
hand,  the  proposition  was  accepted  and  made  effective  by  writ- 
ten contract.    Under  the  supervision  of  Mother  Aldred  acade- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  467 

mies  were  erected  at  Owatonna  and  Rochester,  Minnesota,  in 
1876-77.  The  ruling  of  these — at  that  time  considered  faraway- 
places — became  independent  of  the  motherhouse  at  Joliet  in 
1878,  by  order  of  the  bishop  of  Chicago.  Mother  Mary  Alfred 
Moes  was  appointed  mother  general  of  the  new  congregation 
by  Bishop  Grace.  The  new  congregation  developed  rapidly,  also 
in  the  line  of  charitable  work,  the  most  noted  being  St.  Mary's 
Hospital  at  Rochester,  Minnesota,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Doctors  Mayo,  of  international  renown. 

The  Joliet  House  was  engaged  in  a  special  work  of  charity 
during  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  in 
1873.  While  giving  aid  to  the  fever-stricken,  four  Sisters  con- 
tracted the  disease,  two  of  them  dying  in  consequence. 

Schools. — The  congregation  is  principally  engaged  in  the 
education  of  youth.  The  first  number  of  children  taught  by 
the  Sisters  in  1863  averaged  eighty.  Now,  after  a  lapse  of 
sixty-five  years,  the  number  is  about  15,000.  These  schools  are 
at  present  located  in  the  arch-diocese  of  Chicago  and  St.  Louis; 
in  the  dioceses  of  Peoria,  Rockford  and  Springfield,  Illinois;  in 
Cleveland,  Columbus  and  Toledo,  Ohio;  in  Superior,  Wisconsin; 
and  in  Altoona,  Pennsylvania. 

Normal  Department. — The  young  Sisters  are  taught  and 
trained  at  the  motherhouse.  Until  the  year  1893  this  duty  de- 
volved mainly  upon  the  mistress  of  novices  and  her  assistant. 
In  the  fall  of  1893,  however,  regular  teachers  were  appointed 
for  this  important  work.  From  the  very  foundation  of  the 
congregation  means  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  were 
provided  in  the  form  of  correspondence  courses,  private  les- 
sons and  summer  schools,  for  which  both  clerical  and  secular 
teachers  were  engaged.  Regular  annual  institutes  have  been 
held  at  the  motherhouse  since  1887,  not  only  for  the  purpose 
to  aid  the  advancement  of  the  young  teachers,  but  also  to  ex- 
change views  and  determine  upon  good  methods.  Since  1910 
higher  studies  are  pursued  at  the  De  Paul  and  Loyola  Uni- 


468  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

versities,  Chicago,  at  the  State  University  of  Illinois,  and  in 
special  extension  courses.  Music,  vocal  expression  and  paint- 
ing are  developed  wherever  talent  is  discovered.  A  great  num- 
ber of  the  Sisters  have  won  degrees  either  of  Bachelor  or  Mas- 
ter of  Arts  and  Sciences  or  of  Philosophy,  of  Music,  Harmony 
or  Vocal  Expression,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  in  Chicago,  at 
the  American  School  of  Home  Economics,  and  at  the  Columbia 
School  of  Music.  Every  opportunity  is  given  the  young  Sisters 
to  become  efficient  teachers. 

Saint  Francis  Academy. — Saint  Francis  Academy  at  Joliet, 
Illinois,  was  chartered  as  an  institution  of  learning  under  the 
laws  of  Illinois  in  1874.  The  charter  was  amended  in  1920,  to 
the  effect  that  the  association  known  as  "the  Congregation  of 
the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  of  Mary  Immaculate,  Joliet," 
whose  business  it  is  to  found,  establish  and  maintain  institutions 
of  learning,  devoted  to  the  education  of  young  ladies,  shall  be 
divided  into  several  departments  or  Colleges  of  Liberal  Arts, 
Science,  Philosophy,  Literature,  Fine  Arts,  Music,  Domestic 
Arts  and  Sciences,  and  the  various  commercial  branches."  By 
this  concession  the  Sisterhood  has  the  authority  of  conferring 
diplomas  at  the  completion  of  any  branch  of  studies. 

During  the  intervening  years  between  1882-1904  the  merits 
of  the  academy  became  widely  known  under  the  principalship 
of  Sister  M.  Stanislas  Droesler,  who  is  celebrating  her  dia- 
mond jubilee  of  reception  this  year,  1928. 

In  order  to  relieve  the  scarcity  of  teachers  required  for  the 
parochial  schools,  the  academy  suspended  its  studies  in  1904, 
except  musice  and  painting.  In  the  jubilee  year  of  the  congre- 
gation, 1915,  classes  for  externs  were  resumed. 

The  academy  is  accredited  to  the  De  Paul  University  at 
Chicago,  to  the  State  University  of  Illinois,  and  to  the  State 
Normal  at  De  Kalb.  The  present  enrollment  is  278  for  regular 
study,  250  for  music  and  vocal,  and  55  for  art  work,  making  a 
total  of  583. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  469 

Assisi  Junior  College. — On  September  8,  1925,  a  College  De- 
partment, to  be  known  as  Assisi  Junior  College,  was  opened  by 
the  Sisters.  In  opening  a  college,  the  Sisters  have  acted  in 
response  to  the  urgent  appeals  of  their  friends,  and  to  the  de- 
mand for  a  Catholic  institution  for  young  women  of  Joliet  and 
vicinity,  who  desire  to  pursue  advanced  study  permeated  with 
Catholic  principles  and  shaped  in  accordance  with  Catholic 
ideals.  It  is  a  standard  accredited  junior  college,  and  enjoys 
full  recognition  by  the  State  Board  of  Education.  It  is  also  a 
member  of  the  American  Association  of  Junior  Colleges.  It 
contains  a  fully  equipped  library,  of  about  6,000  usable  books. 
Fifty  students  are  in  attendance,  and  about  200  attend  the 
extension  courses  of  the  college. 

Classes  in  the  Women's  Department  of  the  State  Penitenti- 
ary.— Rev.  Leo  Kalmer,  O.  F.  M.,  chaplain  at  the  State  Peni- 
tentiary in  Joliet,  has  found  it  imperativee  that  the  women 
prisoners  be  instructed  in  some  of  the  secular  branches  of  learn- 
ing. He  therefore  conferred  with  the  convent  authorities  of 
the  beneficial  influence  of  Sisters  giving  them  lessons.  It  was 
accordingly  agreed  to  accept  the  work,  and  on  May  5,  1924, 
Sister  M.  Valeria  Reeb  and  a  companion  Sister  opened  classes. 
The  women  proved  very  responsive  and  studious.  Arithmetic, 
English,  spelling,  composition,  bookkeeping,  shorthand,  and 
singing  are  taught.  Since  August,  1925,  three  Sisters  went  to 
the  prison  every  day.  In  March,  1928,  lessons  at  the  prison 
were  discontinued,  as  the  engagement  of  a  secular  salaried 
teacher  was  contemplated;  the  Sisters'  work  had  been  done 
free  of  charge. 

St.  Francis  Relief  School  and  Center. — The  School  of  St. 
Francis  Parish,  Roosevelt  Road  and  Newberry  Avenue,  was 
accepted  in  1867.  During  the  years  1885  to  1893  it  became 
very  flourishing,  after  which  time  attendance  waned,  because 
of  the  fact  that  many  of  the  early  parishioners  had  died  and 
the  young  generation  was  moving  largely  to  the  outskirts  of 


470  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  city.  The  new  influx  was  mostly  Italian.  Their  numerous 
children  were  either  neglected  or  came  under  the  influence  of 
the  public  schools,  in  which  they  were  withdrawn  from  the 
atmosphere  of  religion.  Then  the  Most  Reverend  Archbishop 
of  Chicago  intervened.  He  ordered  St.  Francis  School  to  be 
open,  free  of  charge,  to  these  neglected  children.  Under  the 
auspices  of  the  parish  care  and  protection  is  given  them,  while 
thirteen  Sisters  are  employed  in  the  classrooms.  From  the 
rent  income  of  some  parish  property  the  Sisters  receive  what 
is  necessary  for  the  purchase  of  food,  otherwise  their  services 
are  gratuitous.  Nearly  700  children  attend  the  school  at  pres- 
ent.   Of  late  a  Mexican  element  is  also  coming  in. 

St.  Mary's  Industrial  School  for  Indian  Girls.— As  early  as 
1879,  on  the  application  of  the  Provincial  of  the  Friars  Minor 
of  the  Sacred  Heart  Province,  an  Industrial  School  for  Indian 
Girls  was  opened  at  Bayfield,  Wisconsin,  with  Sister  M.  Aloysia 
Bernert  as  first  directress.  In  1884  the  institution  received 
support  from  the  United  States  Government  for  seven  girls,  at 
the  rate  of  $108  per  capita.  In  the  year  1895  payment  for  forty 
girls  was  advanced  at  the  same  rate;  but  shortly  after  that 
time,  when  a  bill  was  passed  in  Congress  to  withhold  support 
from  "sectarian"  schools,  the  above  mentioned  allowance  was 
gradually  decreased  by  a  yearly  deduction  of  ten  per  cent,  and 
a  decade  later  all  support  was  withdrawn.  At  the  present  time 
the  institution  receives  a  nominal  support  from  the  Catholic 
Indian  Bureau;  the  number  of  girls  still  averaging  forty.  On 
the  part  of  the  Sisters  the  work  is  wholly  charitable,  as  is  also 
the  teaching  of  the  school  of  the  parish,  where  three  teachers 
are  employed. 

Red  Cliff  Indian  Reservation. — The  Red  Cliff  Indian  Reser- 
vation School,  three  miles  north  of  Bayfield,  was  accepted  by 
the  congregation  in  1880.  Two  teachers  were  required,  who 
taught  the  pupils,  all  Indians,  without  remuneration  until  1896, 
when  the  United  States  Government  salaried  them.    Since  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  471 

reservation  has  been  thrown  open  for  settlement  to  the  whites, 
the  school  is  not  considered  a  government  school  any  longer, 
hence  the  salary  is  also  withdrawn.  Sister  M.  Nazaria  van 
Aarle  was  first  directress.  Sister  M.  Seraphica  Reineck  labored 
among  this  Chippewa  Nation  from  1887  to  1923;  her  assistant, 
Sister  M.  Victoria  Steidl,  from  1897  to  the  present  time. 

As  Red  Cliff  had  no  resident  pastor,  the  Sisters  were  obliged 
to  go  to  Bayfield  for  the  reception  of  the  sacraments,  and  make 
their  return  to  their  field  of  labor  in  the  early  mornings,  either 
on  foot  or  in  a  spring  wagon,  or  in  winter,  facing  the  icy  winds 
of  northern  Wisconsin,  in  an  open  sled,  drawn  by  their  faith- 
ful horse  "Dolly." 

Missions  for  Catechetical  Instruction. — Throughout  the 
year,  on  every  Saturday  of  the  week,  some  of  the  Sisters  in- 
struct the  children  of  five  outlying  parishes  of  Joliet  in  the 
truths  of  our  holy  religion  and  prepare  them  for  the  reception 
of  the  sacraments.    These  services  are  gratis. 

Work  for  the  Blind. — Rev.  J.  Stadelman,  S.  J.,  of  New  York, 
having  made  persistent  requests  that  some  member  of  the  con- 
gregation take  up  the  study  of  Braille  (writing  for  the  blind), 
in  order  to  form  classes  for  teaching  reading  to  the  blind  or  for 
transcribing  good  literature  into  Braille  for  the  use  of  the 
blind,  Sister  M.  Camilla  Woermann  volunteered  to  learn  the 
Braille.  After  having  received  a  certificate  of  efficiency,  she 
in  turn  initiated  Sister  M.  Veronica  Haarth,  who  was  also  quali- 
fied, and  is  now  teaching  Braille  and  transcribing  useful  and 
interesting  literature  into  Braille  for  the  blind  to  read.  Though 
the  plating  of  transcribed  Braille  is  expensive,  she  has  managed 
to  interest  persons  of  means  charitably  inclined,  to  help  in 
covering  the  cost  of  such  work.  Several  volumes  of  her  tran- 
scribed Braille  are  on  the  shelves  of  the  college  library  as  also 
on  those  of  the  Chicago  Public  Library. 

Guardian  Angel  Home. — This  orphanage  was  established  in 
1897,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Mother  M.  Angela  Rosen- 


472  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

berger,  with  the  sanction  of  the  Most  Rev.  P.  A.  Feehan,  arch- 
bishop of  Chicago,  for  neglected  and  destitute  children  in  Joliet. 
A  cottage  on  the  convent  grounds  housed  the  first  children  for 
some  time ;  but  as  petitions  for  homing  them  steadily  increased, 
it  was  found  necessary  to  secure  grounds  and  erect  a  proper 
building.  Lots,  on  which  stood  a  three-story  brick  house,  were 
purchased  for  $7,600.  The  enlargement  of  the  house,  together 
with  necessary  renovations  within  the  building  and  on  the 
premises,  cost  $15,563.  Much  work  in  the  building  was  done 
by  the  Sisters.  The  institution  was  dedicated  under  the  title 
"Guardian  Angel  Home"  on  October  2, 1898,  by  the  archbishop 
of  Chicago.  In  1905  the  "Home"  received  a  further  addition 
containing  a  basement,  a  chapel  on  the  first  floor,  dormitories 
on  the  second,  and  a  quarantine  department  on  the  third  floor. 
This  annex  with  other  improvements,  amounted  to  a  cost  of 
$27,489.  In  September  of  the  same  year  an  adjoining  property 
was  bought  for  $4,500. 

Nineteen,  the  number  of  children  sheltered  at  the  "Home" 
in  1898,  had  now  increased  to  a  yearly  average  of  one  hundred 
fifteen.  Many  of  the  children  reared  in  the  "Home"  had  become 
fathers  and  mothers  of  families ;  others  were  holding  comfort- 
able positions,  and  some  had  followed  the  calling  to  a  religious 
life. 

Until  the  year  1917  the  "Home"  was  largely  dependent  for 
its  maintenance  upon  this  congregation.  The  baking  of  bread 
was  done  at  the  convent  until  1917,  the  laundering  till  October, 
1926.  The  town  of  Joliet  concedes  to  the  present  time  monthly 
a  sum  of  $126.00  for  destitute  children.  Some  friends  give 
continued  aid.  Several  small  bequests  have  been  made  in  its 
favor,  and  some  nominal  monthly  payments  are  made  by  a 
parent  or  guardian  of  the  children.  The  yearly  "tagday"  for 
the  institution,  in  vogue  since  1914,  has  been  to  it  of  great 
financial  aid.  The  cash  expenditures  of  the  congregation  for 
the  "Home"  until  1920  were  approximately  $68,300.  The  numer- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  473 

ous  outlays  for  incidental  repairs  and  household  goods  and 
clothing  and  food  stuffs,  for  the  labor  of  hired  hands,  for  water 
tax  used  at  the  convent  for  the  orphans'  wash,  not  to  speak  of 
the  wear  of  the  machinery,  of  oil,  soap,  and  electricity,  were 
borne  by  the  convent;  and  aside  of  all,  the  service  is  rendered 
gratuitously  by  the  Sisters. 

In  1920  a  question  was  advanced  by  Very  Rev.  Edward 
Hoban,  then  chancellor  of  the  archdiocese  of  Chicago,  as  to  the 
probability  of  making  the  "Home"  a  diocesan  institution  to  be 
supported  by  the  people  of  a  certain  district.  The  convent 
authorities  receiving  information  and  agreeing  to  the  proposi- 
tion, the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  George  Mundelein  extended  the 
charitable  circle  to  embrace  Will  and  Grundy  counties.  Then 
a  drive  for  subscriptions  for  a  fund  to  provide  new  and  larger 
housings  was  set  afoot  by  him.  This  promised  ample  support 
at  first,  but  the  real  returns  were  meager.  After  a  few  years 
the  entire  affair  was  turned  over  to  the  Sisters,  who  with  the 
money  on  hand  purchased  at  once  115  acres  of  land  to  the  north- 
west of  the  city  of  Joliet,  which  consumed  over  twenty-one  per 
cent  of  the  cash  on  hand.  Several  loans  of  hundred  thousand 
dollars  were  made  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  building.  This 
was  completed  in  the  spring  of  1926,  and  dedicated  by  His 
Eminence,  George  Cardinal  Mundelein.  The  children  were 
transferred  to  the  new  "Home"  the  following  October.  They 
number  now  160  and  are  cared  for  by  a  staff  of  sixteen  Sisters, 
four  of  them  functioning  as  teachers.  As  has  been  the  case 
heretofore,  there  is  not  now  any  remuneration  for  the  services 
of  the  Sisters. 

The  Humble  Beginning  and  the  Development  of  the  Congre- 
gation.— Upon  their  arrival  in  Joliet,  Mother  M.  Alfred  and  her 
companions  took  up  their  temporary  abode  in  the  second  story 
of  a  stone  house  near  the  church,  an  outside  stairway  leading 
to  their  apartments.  The  first  permanent  residence  in  Joliet 
was  a  small  stone  house  on  Broadway  and  Division  Street, 


474  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

which,  with  the  two  adjoining  lots,  they  purchased  March  23, 
1864,  for  the  su  mof  $600.  In  1868  and  1870  further  lots  were 
secured,  and,  as  applications  for  higher  learning  became  more 
urgent,  a  spacious  stone  building  was  erected  in  1871,  contain- 
ing modern  improvements — gas  and  hot-air  furnaces.  The  cost 
of  the  lots,  of  the  new  building,  and  of  a  stone  wall  enclosing 
two  sides  of  the  property,  amounted  to  $28,000. 

In  November,  1879,  the  site  for  a  new  building  was  selected 
and  fourteen  acres  of  land  secured  at  the  western  limits  of  the 
city  of  Joliet,  for  $3,425.  The  foundation  was  begun  October  4, 
1880,  and  the  cornerstone  laid  in  1881,  by  the  Most  Rev.  P.  A. 
Feehan,  archbishop  of  Chicago.  The  basement  and  two  stories 
was  ready  for  occupancy  August  12,  1882.  The  front  of  the 
building  facing  east  extends  182  feet  north  and  south,  while 
two  wings  extend  each  forty-five  feet  westward.  The  total 
cost  of  the  structure  was  $52,000. 

In  1892  the  third  story  was  completed,  the  middle  west  wing, 
the  so-called  chapel  wing,  of  110  feet  built,  and  laundry  ma- 
chinery and  steam  heating  installed,  for  $48,000.  For  improve- 
ment on  the  premises,  street  paving,  sewerage,  water-main, 
walls,  cemetery  lots,  insurance,  $40,766  were    expended  till 

In  order  to  forestall  later  handicaps  in  regard  to  classrooms 
and  living  quarters,  an  addition  of  151  feet  frontage,  facing 
south,  was  erected  in  the  years  1912  and  1913,  at  a  cost  of  $121,- 
553.  Playgrounds  and  other  accommodations  on  the  south  side 
of  Taylor  street  demanded  another  $8,000;  and  still  the  crowd- 
ing continued.  It  soon  became  evident  that  only  new  and  more 
spacious  quarters  could  relieve  the  situation;  hence  a  new 
academy  was  decided  upon  by  the  superior  general  and  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  congregation. 

Having  been  made  acquainted  with  conditions,  Cardinal 
Mundelein  strongly  urged  the  erection  of  an  up-to-date  acad- 
emy, to  be  built  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  fourteen  acres 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  475 

of  convent  property.  His  eminence  secured  from  Rome  the 
permission  to  make  the  necessary  large  loans;  for  according  to 
contracts  signed,  the  cost  would  approximate  $500,000,  not  in- 
cluding equipments. 

Rt.  Rev.  Msgr.  Francis  A.  Rempe,  V.  G.,  who  had  shown  an 
active  interest  in  the  realization  of  the  project,  broke  the 
ground  for  the  new  academy  on  May  17, 1922,  and  laid  the  cor- 
nerstone the  following  August.  The  wings  of  the  building 
extend  186  feet  east  and  north.  Classes  were  opened  in  Sep- 
tember of  1923. 

Simultaneous  with  the  erection  of  the  new  academy  various 
difficulties  were  encountered  because  of  the  dependence  on  the 
convent  for  certain  commodities.  So  the  old  heating  system 
was  inadequate  for  the  heating  of  both  buildings,  nor  did  it 
function  properly.  Consequently  three  new  high-pressure 
boilers  had  to  be  installed  which  required  the  sum  of  $10,000. 
Joliet  water  containing  42  degrees  hardness  had  to  be  softened 
to  make  it  usable  for  cleansing  purposes;  the  necessary 
apparatus  could  not  be  had  under  $3,000.  The  installment  of 
two  cooling  units,  one  in  each  building,  cost  to  upwards  of 
$6,000.  At  the  same  time  more  street-paving  added  to  our 
already  heavy  debt.  A  great  alleviation  for  us  in  this  situation 
was  the  furnishing  of  rooms  in  the  new  academy  by  the  friends 
of  the  Sisters  here  and  in  more  distant  places. 

The  band  of  four  Sisters  forming  the  congregation  in  1863 
has  increased  to  495  professed  Sisters,  28  novices,  and  31  postu- 
lants. One  hundred  and  fifty-eight  of  the  members  of  the  Joliet 
House  have  died  in  the  course  of  years. 

There  are  every  year  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  applications 
for  admittance  into  the  Order;  yet  the  actual  working  force  is 
not  perceptibly  increased,  because  of  the  fact  that  some  mem- 
bers die,  others  become  incapacitated  by  sickness  or  age.  For 
this  reason,  and  because  of  the  increase  of  pupils  in  schools 


476  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

already  established,  the  frequent  and  urgent  demands  for 
teachers  made  upon  the  congregation  by  the  reverend  clergy 
cannot  be  answered. 

The  main  source  of  income  is  the  salary  of  the  teachers, 
while  music  is  the  more  lucrative  factor  for  returns.  A  part 
of  this  income  serves  to  defray  the  expenses  of  livelihood  of  the 
Sisters  on  the  particular  missions;  the  remainder,  about  forty 
per  cent,  is  sent  to  the  motherhouse  for  living,  building  and 
education.  A  teacher's  monthly  salary  was  formerly  twenty 
dollars,  but  in  these  years  of  general  social  and  economic  dis- 
turbance, when  prices  have  become  exorbitant  even  in  wealthy 
America,  it  became  a  question  either  to  demand  an  increase  of 
salary  or  to  retrograde  financially.  Thirty  to  thirty-five  dollars 
is  the  present  monthly  salary. 

Young  girls  between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  twenty-eight 
are  admitted  into  the  congregation  under  most  favorable  con- 
ditions. A  stipulated  sum  is  asked  from  the  applicants ;  yet,  if 
the  person  is  poor  or  has  small  means,  the  lack  of  cash  is  no 
obstacle  to  being  received.  An  inclination  to  the  religious  life 
and  a  good  will  are  the  important  requisites.   - 

Girls  of  the  age  of  from  twelve  to  sixteen  years  are  received 
as  aspirants.  While  they  pursue  studies  in  their  respective 
classes,  they  have  a  chance  and  time  to  test  their  inclination  to 
the  religious  life.  A  small  monthly  fee  is  expected  from  them 
if  they  can  pay  it;  they  are  also  received  free  of  charge  if  they 
have  no  means  and  yet  would  like  to  enter  the  convent.  All 
such  cases  are  decided  by  the  superior  general  of  the  congrega- 
tion, residing  at  220  Plainfield  Avenue,  Joliet,  Illinois. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


HOSPITALS. 


SILVER  CROSS  HOSPITAL,  INCORPORATED  IN  1891,  "WATCHER'S  CIRCLE,"  COR- 
NER STONE  LAID  IN  1893,  TRUSTEES,  FIRST  OFFICERS,  FIRST  PATIENT— 
ST.  JOSEPH'S  HOSPITAL,  FOUNDED  IN  1881,  TYPHOID  AND  SMALLPOX  EPI- 
DEMICS, THE  FIRST  BUILDING  USED  FOR  HOSPITAL,  FIRST  ACCIDENT 
CASE,  NEW  BUILDINGS 

Silver  Cross  Hospital. — The  word  hospital  and  the  word 
hotel  have  the  same  derivation.  A  hotel  is  a  place  where 
strangers  are  received  as  guests;  a  hospital  is  a  place  where 
sick  strangers  are  received.  The  city  hospital  in  the  French 
cities  is  called  "Hotel  de  Dieu" — God's  hotel.  What  could  be 
more  beautiful  ?  As  if  the  place  where  the  suffering  are  cared 
for  was  especially  under  God's  providence. 

The  Will  County  Union  of  the  King's  Daughters  and  King's 
Sons  was  organized  in  July,  1890. 

The  original  idea  of  the  Circles  of  the  King's  Daughters 
was  to  use  the  funds  accumulated  by  their  work  to  furnish  and 
maintain  a  room  in  some  hospital.  At  one  of  their  enthusiastic 
discussions  of  the  matter,  William  Grinton,  who  happened  to 
be  present,  suggested  that  they  and  the  King's  Sons  unite  their 
efforts  and  build  a  hospital,  stating  that  if  they  would  do  so  he 
would  donate  the  necessary  land  in  either  one  of  his  subdi- 
visions known  as  Hickory  Hills  and  Sunnyside  respectively. 
The  subject  was  taken  up  by  the  respective  circles  and  after 
duly  discussing  and  considering  it,  they  decided  to  undertake 
the  herculean  task  of  building  the  hospital.    In  the  work  of 

477 


478  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

accomplishing  the  undertaking  Mr.  Grinton's  daughter,  Lorene, 
was  one  of  the  prime  factors  and  a  most  effective  and  inde- 
fatigable worker.  When  the  question  of  a  name  for  the  hos- 
pital came  up  it  was  her  happy  idea  of  permanently  associating 
the  workers  with  their  work  that  found  expression  in  the 
selection  of  the  name,  Silver  Cross  Hospital.  The  emblem  of 
the  organization  the  King's  Daughters  and  the  King's  Sons  was 
a  Maltese  cross  and  this  suggested  to  her  quick  perception 
the  name  chosen. 

The  hospital  was  incorporated  in  April,  1891. 

On  Monday,  September  12,  1892,  "Shovel  Day,"  ground  was 
broken  for  the  building  and  this  marked  an  important  and 
notable  stage  in  the  progress  of  the  work  begun  in  so  humble 
a  manner  two  years  before  in  the  direction  of  a  realization  of 
the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  those  great  and  small  who  had 
devoted  themselves  to  the  cause  in  season  and  out  of  season, 
under  discouraging  conditions.  The  "Watcher's  Circle"  have 
the  credit  of  having  done  the  first  work  for  the  hospital.  The 
names  of  those  comprising  it  are  as  follows: 
Gertrude  Akin  Lydia  Mather  ' 

Minnie  Allen  Annie  Matteson 

Kittie  Beiber  Edna  Mueller 

Lottie  Beiber  Frances  McClelland 

Agnes  Cameron  Bessie  Palmer 

Agnes  Clark  Edna  Palmer 

Lulu  Erb  Hattie  Sprague 

Grace  Grinton  Winifred  Stevens 

Jessie  Grinton  Rue  Winterbotham 

Mary  Hyde  Louise  Wolf 

Janie  Kerr  Martha  Wolf 

Ella  Mather 

The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  the  Masonic  fraternity  on 
May  17, 1893.  A  sealed  box  was  placed  in  the  stone  containing 
the  following  articles: 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  479 

Copy  of  Silver  Cross  Hospital  incorporation. 

Engrossed  copy  of  land  transfer  by  William  Grinton. 

Brief  account  of  connection  of  the  King's  Daughters  and 
King's  Sons  with  the  work. 

First  badge  of  the  order  worn  in  the  country  (contributed 
by  Miss  Keith). 

Souvenir  coin  from  Union  Workers'  Circle,  Wilmington. 

A  piece  of  ribbon  brought  over  in  the  Mayflower  in  1620. 

One  set  souvenir  postage  stamps. 

Ribbon  that  decorated  the  shovel  when  ground  was  broken. 

Joliet  Daily  News  of  September  13,  1892. 

Chicago  Tribune  of  April  30,  1893. 

Chicago  Tribune  of  May  2,  1893. 

A  copy  each  of  Joliet  Daily  News,  Times  and  Republican 
of  May  13,  1893. 

Scroll  giving  the  roster  of  the  occasional  Grand  Lodge  A. 
F.  &  A.  M.  of  Illinois,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  laying  the 
corner  stone  and  by  whom  laid. 

A  copy  of  the  by-laws  of  Mt.  Joliet  Lodge  No.  42  and  Matte- 
son  Lodge  No.  175,  participants  in  ceremonies. 

A  copy  of  the  last  issue  of  the  Fraternal  Reporter. 

A  souvenir  spoon  presented  by  Mrs.  Potter  Palmer  with 
some  verses. 

"Trolley  Day,"  the  day  on  which  fares  on  the  trolley  lines 
of  the  city  were  collected  by  members  of  the  "fair  sex"  and  a 
fair  and  liberal  portion  of  which  fares  were  devoted  by  the 
officials  of  the  lines  to  the  benefit  of  the  hospital  was  inau- 
gurated July  15,  1897,  and  the  Daily  Republican  of  that  date, 
contained  an  extensive  and  interesting  article  relating  to  the 
hospital,  from  which  the  following  extract,  which  refers  to  the 
dedication  is  taken : 

"The  Board  of  Trustees  at  that  time  were: 

Chas.  Pettigrew,  George  H.  Munroe,  John  Keyes,  Howard 


480  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

T.  Keltie,  Egbert  Phelps,  C.  H.  Talcott,  A.  C.  Clement,  Wm. 
Harwood,  Charles  Noble,  G.  M.  Campbell,  J.  D.  Paige. 

Board  of  Lady  Managers: 

Mrs.  Adelia  F.  Mack,  chairman;  Miss  Louise  Rowell,  treas- 
urer; Mrs.  Andrew  Wagner,  secretary;  Mrs.  Chas.  Pettigrew, 
Mrs.  E.  Williams,  Mrs.  William  Harwood,  Mrs.  Charles  Rich- 
ards, Mrs.  W.  W.  Stevens,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Mount,  Mrs.  Charles  Tal- 
cott, Mrs.  Charles  Carpenter,  Mrs.  S.  D.  Chaney,  Miss  Jennie 
Thompson,  Mrs.  C.  M.  Sherwood,  Mrs.  Gurney,  of  Wilmington." 

The  Board  of  Lady  Managers  has  since  been  dispensed  with, 
and  they  are  now  known  as  the  "Ladies'  Advisory  Board." 

The  first  officers  of  the  Board  of  Directors  were  as  follows: 

President — Charles  A.  Noble. 

Vice  President — J.  D,  Paige. 

Secretary — C.  H.  Talcott. 

Treasurer — Charles  Pettigrew. 

The  hospital  was  informally  opened  early  that  fall  because 
of  an  unfortunate  man  who  came  to  the  hospital  to  be  treated. 
The  first  patient  received  was  W.  Frenier. 

The  first  superintendent  of  the  hospital  was  Miss  M.  J. 
Kober.  Miss  M.  A.  Porter  was  head  surgical  and  Miss  M.  Main 
was  head  medical  nurse. 

St.  Joseph's  Hospital,  Joliet,  Illinois. — Progress  has  been 
the  watchword  of  the  ages.  The  history  of  the  universe  is  a 
history  of  progress;  a  history  of  slow,  steady  advance  of  con- 
tinuous journeying  onward.  But  perhaps  never  has  there  been 
such  marked  progress  as  in  the  present  generation.  All  about 
us  we  see  it  in  every  field  of  endeavor. 

Nor  is  the  hospital  field  an  exception.  Here  as  elsewhere, 
we  find  abundant  evidence  of  rapid  advance;  of  advance  in 
construction,  in  equipment  and  in  technique.  We  note  from 
the  earliest  ages  a  progress  of  slow,  steady  betterment. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  481 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  hospital  of  the  sixteenth  century 
whose  sole  requisites  were  "freedom  from  debt  and  four  doors 
for  ventilation,"  to  the  hospital  of  1928  with  its  modern  equip- 
ment, which  challenges  the  admiration  of  an  enlightened  pub- 
lic. St.  Joseph's  Hospital  is  another  evidence  of  the  progress 
that  has  taken  place  in  the  hospital  field. 

In  December,  1880,  Rev.  Gerard  Becher,  at  the  time  rector 
of  St.  John's  Church,  Joliet,  Illinois,  who  had  become  acquainted 
with  the  Franciscan  Sisters  of  Avilla,  Indiana,  asked  for  three 
Sisters  to  come  to  Joliet  to  care  for  sick  in  private  families. 

In  1881  when  the  city  of  Joliet  was  visited  by  typhoid  fever 
and  in  1882  by  an  epidemic  of  smallpox,  there  was  a  demand 
for  more  Sisters  and  several  responded,  among  them  Sister 
Frances  and  Sister  Ida;  both  are  living. 

During  the  smallpox  epidemic  Sister  Georgia  made  the  prop- 
osition to  Doctor  Hosmer  to  take  all  the  sick  out  of  the  city 
to  an  empty  farm  house,  some  two  miles  in  the  country.  He 
was  pleased  with  the  suggestion  and  at  once  the  afflicted  were 
loaded  into  the  Black  Maria  and  hauled  to  the  first  hospital 
which  was  given  the  dignified  name  of  "the  pest  house." 

When  the  epidemic  was  over  the  grateful  citizens  of  Joliet 
donated  $6,000.00  to  the  Sisters  as  a  remuneration  and  token 
of  their  gratitude.  This  sum  with  some  subscriptions  taken 
up  by  Dr.  H.  E.  Stephen's  father  enabled  them  to  buy  the  stone 
building  situated  on  the  corner  of  North  Broadway  and  Divi- 
sion Street.  It  was  a  modest  two-story  structure  built  in  1865 
of  stone  which  was  quarried  in  the  back  yard.  The  old  quarry 
has  been  filled  in  with  good  soil  and  a  beautiful  garden  now 
adorns  the  once  barren  spot.  The  building  was  remodeled  and 
on  August  the  12th,  1882,  the  Sisters  moved  in  and  being  very 
tired  all  went  to  bed  as  they  had  no  patients. 

At  midnight  the  Sisters  were  aroused  by  pounding  at  the 
door  and  rattling  of  a  bell.   The  first  accident  case  was  brought 

31— VOL.  1 


482  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

in.  He  was  a  young  man,  named  McCarthy,  severely  injured 
by  falling  from  a  freight  car.  One  leg  had  to  be  amputated. 
The  Sisters  had  no  operating  table,  so  put  the  patient  on  a 
common  wooden  table,  and  as  the  gaslight  was  very  poor,  a 
Sister  stood  by  holding  two  old-fashioned  lamps.  The  patient 
recovered  without  having  an  infection. 

In  the  course  of  time  many  improvements  and  additions  to 
the  hospital  were  made.  In  1895  a  new  chapel  was  built  and 
tbi'  middle  part  of  the  present  hospital,  and  in  1905  another 
addition,  in  1914  a  large  addition  was  made  on  the  north  side 
— in  1924  the  Nurses'  Home  was  built,  in  1927,  two  stories  were 
added  to  the  central  part  of  the  Hospital,  5,000  patients  were 
cared  for  in  1927.  In  1920  St.  Joseph's  Hospital  opened  a 
Training  School  for  Nurses. 

May  St.  Joseph's  Hospital  continue  as  in  the  past,  to  grow 
and  to  flourish ! 

May  it  continue  to  the  praise  and  pride  of  its  able  staff 
of  physicians  and  surgeons,  to  the  exceeding  joy  of  its  kind 
Sisters,  to  the  honor  of  the  city  of  Joliet  and  to  the  welfare  of 
its  suffering  inhabitants ! 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  PRESS. 


THE  FIRST  NEWSPAPER  IN  JOLIET — THE  JOLIET  REPUBLICAN— TRUE  DEMO- 
CRAT—RECORD—PHOENIX SUN— OTHER  EARLY  NEWSPAPERS  AND  NEWS- 
PAPER MEN— JOLIET   HERALD-NEWS 

The  history  of  the  press  dates  back  almost  to  the  beginning 
of  Joliet.  The  first  newspaper,  a  copy  of  which  we  have  before 
us,  was  issued  on  the  20th  day  of  April,  1839,  and  was  called 
the  "Juliet  Courier."  It  presents  a  very  attractive  appearance, 
for  a  country  village  of  forty  years  ago. 

The  paper  was  started  by  thirteen  of  the  enterprising  citi- 
zens of  Joliet,  or  Juliet,  of  whom  were  the  Allen  brothers, 
Charles  Clement,  R.  Doolittle,  Judge  Henderson  and  E.  Wil- 
cox. The  press  had  been  shipped  to  Ottawa,  but  not  being 
wanted  there,  was  offered  on  favorable  terms,  and  was  bought 
by  Joliet.  After  considerable  search  they  found  a  man  of  the 
name  of  0.  H.  Balch  who  had  edited  a  paper  in  Michigan,  and 
was  also  a  practical  printer,  and  him  they  secured  as  editor 
and  publisher.  It  was  a  true-blue  Democratic  paper,  and  in 
his  salutatory  the  editor  promulgated  this  sensible  doctrine: 
*  *  *  "He  will  only  state  in  general  terms  that  he  intends 
to  publish  a  newspaper  in  which  the  principles  of  Democracy 
shall  be  enforced  and  vindicated,  and  in  which  the  National 
Constitution  shall  be  held  up  to  view  as  the  foundation  of  our 
Republican  institutions  and  the  bond  of  our  Union  and  as  the 
safeguard  of  our  civil  liberties."    In  its  columns  we  find  this 

483 


484  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

item  of  news,  which  was  probably  quite  an  achievement  in  its 
day,  but  when  compared  to  present  improvements,  is  dwarfed 
into  insignificance:  "Rapid  Traveling. — It  is  stated  in  the  Wil- 
mington (N.  C.)  Journal,  that  the  mail  is  now  carried  from 
New  York  to  Charleston  (by  way  of  the  Wilmington  &  Raleigh 
Railroad)  in  eighty-four  hours."  It  experienced  the  usual 
struggle  for  a  foot-hold  in  the  newspaper  field,  and,  after  many 
changes,  passed  into  the  hands  of  D.  L.  Gregg,  a  brilliant  young 
lawyer,  and  afterward  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  then  sec- 
retary of  state,  and  afterward  United  States  consul  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  In  1843,  it  was  purchased  by  Hon.  Wm.  E. 
Little,  who  changed  its  name  to  that  of  Joliet  "Signal"  which 
name  it  still  retains.  He,  in  a  year  or  two,  sold  it  to  Hon.  S.  W. 
Randall,  and  he  sold  it  to  A.  0.  Stillman,  who  in  May,  1846, 
sold  it  to  C.  &  C.  Zarley,  sons  of  Reason  Zarley,  the  first  settler 
of  Joliet  Township.  Calvin  Zarley,  before  his  death,  disposed 
of  his  interest  to  P.  Shuts,  the  other  Zarley  still  retaining  his 
interest.  The  firm  is  Zarley  &  Co.,  and  their  paper  has  ever 
remained  Democratic,  carrying  out  the  principles  heralded  to 
the  world  on  the  day  of  its  birth. 

The  Joliet  "Republican"  is  the  next  oldest  paper  to  the 
"Signal."  It  was  originally  established  by  A.  Mcintosh  in  1847, 
as  the  "True  Democrat."  In  1848,  he  sold  it  to  H.  N.  Marsh, 
who  owned  and  edited  it  until  1852,  when  Mr.  Mcintosh  bought 
it  back,  and,  in  1857,  sold  it  to  Joseph  L.  Braden,  at  one  time 
postmaster  of  Joliet,  who,  in  1864,  changed  its  name  to  Joliet 
"Republican."  In  1866,  Braden  died,  and  the  paper  being  sold, 
was  bought  by  James  Goodspeed,  Esq.,  the  present  owner,  and 
the  present  postmaster  of  Joliet.  The  "Republican"  is  a  semi- 
weekly  paper  and  quite  readable. 

The  Joliet  "Record"  was  established  in  1870,  as  a  Democratic 
journal,  and  is  a  live,  free,  outspoken  newspaper.  It  is  an  able 
defender  of  the  "true  faith,"  and  death  on  political  stealings 
and  unprincipled  doings  generally.    A  large  quarto  paper,  it 


mSTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  485 

is  well  filled  with  chaste  reading  matter,  and  a  good  fireside 
journal.  D.  C.  Henderson,  the  proprietor,  is  a  man  of  consid- 
erable journalistic  experience,  and  understands  making  a  read- 
able newspaper. 

The  "Phoenix"  is  a  weekly  paper.  In  January,  1877,  a  con- 
solidation was  effected  of  the  "Will  County  Courier,"  Lockport 
"Phoenix,"  Lamont  "Eagle"  and  Plainfield  "Echo,"  and  two 
other  publications  were  added,  one  at  Wilmington  and  the 
other  at  Braidwood.  An  editor  was  stationed  at  each  of  these 
towns;  the  type  set  up  by  them  and  shipped  to  Joliet  on  publi- 
cation day.  The  matter  was  then  assorted  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  reader  obtained  the  local  news  of  all  these  points.  This 
plan  gives  more  home  news  than  is  usually  contained  in  ordi- 
nary country  newspapers.  Each  editor  has  more  time  to  de- 
vote to  news-gathering,  and  therefore  a  better  paper  can  be 
published  at  each  point  and  sold  cheaper  than  by  the  old  plan. 
The  issues  at  present,  together  with  the  editors  and  proprie- 
tors, are  as  follows:  "Joliet  Phoenix,"  J.  S.  McDonald,  editor 
and  proprietor;  "Lockport  Phoenix,"  J.  S.  McDonald,  proprie- 
tor, and  Leon  McDonald,  editor;  "Wilmington  Phoenix,"  J.  S. 
McDonald,  proprietor,  and  C.  H.  Duck  and  F.  H.  Hall,  editors ; 
"Lemont  Phoenix,"  J.  S.  McDonald  and  W.  P.  Haughey,  pro- 
prietors, and  W.  P.  Haughey,  editor. 

The  Joliet  "Sun"  was  established  July  12,  1872,  by  C.  B. 
Hayward,  as  a  Republican  newspaper.  In  October,  1874,  the 
proprietor  issued  the  first  copy  of  the  daily  "Sun,"  and  since 
then  a  daily  and  weekly  paper  has  been  issued,  the  daily  being 
an  evening  paper,  and  the  largest  daily  issued  in  the  Seventh 
Congressional  District.  The  "Sun"  is  a  live  newspaper,  and  a 
true  exponent  of  Republican  principles. 

The  Joliet  "News"  was  established  in  April,  1877,  as  a  morn- 
ing paper,  three  columns,  by  Charles  F.  Dutcher,  as  editor  and 
proprietor,  and  was  independent  in  politics.  In  October,  of 
same  year,  it  was  bought  by  Nelson,  Ferris  &  Co.,  and  a  weekly 


486    .  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Greenback  paper  added.  It  is  still  owned  by  these  parties,  and 
published  daily  and  weekly  in  the  interests  of  the  Greenback 
party.  It  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  rapidly  increasing 
in  importance. 

Joliet  Herald-News. — (By  Edward  Corlett.) — The  first  issue 
of  the  Joliet  Herald  appeared  November  18,  1904.  It  was  a 
paper  of  24  pages,  produced  by  tremendous  effort,  and  re- 
garded, at  that  time,  a  far  greater  achievement  than  this  paper 
probably  will  be,  although  this  issue  is  the  biggest  paper  ever 
published  in  the  city  of  Joliet. 

The  Herald  was  published  by  the  Joliet  Printing  Company, 
which  was  organized  for  that  purpose  in  1904  by  a  group  of 
business  and  professional  men.  The  names  of  the  organizers 
and  original  stockholders  follow: 

John  Lambert,  F.  H.  Hall,  William  M.  Cochrane,  T.  A.  Ma- 
son, C.  E.  Woodruff,  Dr.  J.  C.  Flowers,  C.  B.  Hayward,  A.  C. 
Dillman,  Dr.  H.  W.  Woodruff,  George  A.  Ducker,  John  0.  Bar- 
ret, Fred  Bennitt,  A.  E.  Dinet,  C.  S.  Witwer,  Edward  Corlett, 

E.  E.  Howard,  Frank  Kiep,  Dr.  P.  G.  Rulien,  August  Schoen- 
stedt,  J.  J.  Hamil,  A.  W.  Fiero,  J.  J.  Gaskill,  James  Smith, 
L.  F.  Beach,  W.  0.  Bates,  James  W.  Martin,  Harry  N.  Hall, 

F.  S.  Lambert,  H.  B.  Smith,  E.  R.  McClellan,  Thomas  McHugh, 
Dr.  E.  J.  Abell,  C.  G.  Jones,  W.  H.  White,  John  Stukel,  Henry 
Hallenstein. 

The  first  board  of  directors  was  John  Lambert,  E.  R.  Mc- 
Clellan, C.  B.  Hayward,  Dr.  J.  C.  Flowers,  Frank  L.  Kiep, 
George  A.  Ducker,  Frank  H.  Hall,  C.  E.  Woodruff  and  C.  S. 
Witwer. 

Colonel  John  Lambert  was  the  first  president  and  C.  E. 
Woodruff  the  first  secretary.  Frank  H.  Hall  was  the  first  gen- 
eral manager  and  James  Murphy  the  first  editor. 

The  paper  lost  a  lot  of  money  from  the  start,  which  was  a 
great  shock  to  the  stockholders,  as  they  had  expected  that  the 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  487 

enterprise  would  be  prosperous  from  the  beginning.  Naturally 
the  stockholders  blamed  the  general  manager  for  the  losses, 
and  he  sold  his  holding  to  Colonel  Lambert  and  resigned.  He 
was  succeeded  by  James  Murphy,  the  then  editor,  but  the  losses 
continued  as  before.  In  1906  Mr.  Murphy  resigned  and  was 
succeeded  as  editor  and  general  manager  by  Archibald  S.  Leckie 
who  continued  in  charge  of  the  paper  until  1920. 

The  paper  continued  to  lose  money  from  year  to  year  for 
several  years  after  Mr.  Leckie  took  charge  of  it,  but  by  that 
time  the  stockholders  had  been  convinced  that  the  paper  could 
not  pay  its  way  until  it  was  established.  They  realized  at  last 
that  the  deficit  from  year  to  year  was  just  as  much  a  part  of 
the  cost  of  establishing  a  newspaper  as  the  cost  of  the  printing 
press  or  any  other  equipment,  and  therefore  Mr.  Leckie  had  an 
opportunity  to  build  up  and  establish  the  paper,  in  which  he 
acquired  a  substantial  interest.  In  other  words,  the  stock- 
holders had  come  to  realize  that  it  required  more  than  a  print- 
ing press  and  a  few  rolls  of  newsprint  paper  to  make  a  news- 
paper. 

It  is  due  to  Mr.  Leckie  to  say  that  he  is  entitled  to  a  very 
large  amount  of  credit  for  what  the  paper  became  and  is. 

As  many  of  the  stockholders  grew  tired  of  waiting  from 
year  to  year  for  dividends,  which,  for  a  period  of  eight  years 
it  seemed  would  never  come,  they  one  by  one  sold  their  stock, 
and  Edward  Corlett,  present  general  manager  of  the  paper, 
is  the  only  one  of  the  original  stockholders  who  is  now  a 
stockholder  in  the  paper. 

In  1911  the  Herald  and  the  News  purchased  from  the  Joliet 
Republican  its  newspaper  publishing  franchises,  good  will,  and 
subscription  list,  which  were  equally  divided  between  the  Her- 
ald and  the  News. 

Colonel  Ira  C.  Copley,  the  present  owner  of  a  majority  of 
the  stock  in  the  Joliet  Printing  Company,  publisher  of  The 
Herald-News,  acquired,  in  1913,  a  majority  of  the  stock  in  the 


488  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

News  Company,  and  a  majority  of  stock  in  the  Joliet  Printing 
Company.  He  continued  the  publication  of  each  paper  under 
separate  managements,  but  with  little  success,  until  June,  1915, 
when  he  consolidated  the  News  Company  into  the  Joliet  Print- 
ing Company,  which  has  since  published  the  Herald-News. 

Local  history  records  that  the  Joliet  Republican  was  estab- 
lished in  1862,  but  it  was  really  the  True  Democrat,  founded 
in  1847,  under  a  new  name.  The  True  Democrat  was  launched 
by  A.  Mcintosh,  who  sold  it  to  H.  N.  Marsh,  who  afterwards 
sold  the  paper  to  Joseph  H.  Braden  in  1857.  Mr.  Braden  pub- 
lished the  paper  under  its  original  name,  the  True  Democrat, 
until  1862,  when  he  changed  the  name  to  the  Joliet  Republican. 

The  Joliet  Daily  Sun  was  established  in  1872,  but  within  a 
few  years  thereafter  it  was  merged  into  the  Joliet  Republican, 
which  for  a  time  was  published  under  the  name  of  the  Repub- 
lican-Sun, and  later  changed  back  to  the  Joliet  Republican. 

The  Juliet  Courier  was  the  pioneer  newspaper  of  Will 
County,  the  first  issue  of  which  was  published  April  20,  1839. 

The  Juliet  Courier  was  founded  by  Charles  Clement,  Ed- 
mond  Wilcox,  Hugh  Henderson,  R.  Doolittle '  and  the  Allan 
brothers.  It  was  published  on  what  was  then  called  Merchants 
row,  on  north  Bluff  Street.  It  is,  indeed,  a  remarkable  coinci- 
dence that  Cordelia  W.  Clement,  wife  of  Charles  Clement,  once 
owned  the  property,  which  is  now  the  site  of  the  Herald-News 
building  at  Scott  and  Van  Buren  streets,  and  that  this  prop- 
erty was  purchased  by  the  Herald-News  from  Genevieve  Ste- 
venson and  Cordelia  Ensign,  granddaughters  of  Charles  Clem- 
ent, one  of  the  founders  of  the  pioneer  paper  of  the  county, 
which  by  successive  newspaper  mergers  is  today  a  constituent 
part  of  the  Herald-News. 

The  Courier  was  purchased  by  William  E.  Little  in  1843 
and  the  name  changed  to  the  Joliet  Signal,  under  which  name 
the  paper  was  published  until  it  was  merged  into  the  Joliet 
News  in  1899. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  489 

The  Joliet  News  was  founded  in  April,  1877,  by  Charles  H. 
Dutcher,  who  in  November  of  that  year  sold  the  paper  to  James 
H.  Ferriss,  R.  W.  Nelson  and  H.  E.  Baldwin,  the  latter  now  a 
member  of  the  Herald-News  advertising  staff. 

The  Joliet  Record  was  founded  in  1870  by  Henderson  broth- 
ers, John,  James,  and  Daniel.  In  1880  W.  W.  Stevens  bought 
a  half  interest  in  the  paper,  and  in  1883  acquired  the  other 
half  interest,  continuing  the  publication  of  that  paper  until 
1899,  when  the  property  was  taken  over  by,  and  consolidated 
with,  the  Joliet  News. 

A  number  of  other  newspapers  not  mentioned  in  this  article 
were  merged  into  the  News  and  the  Republican  within  the 
memory  of  our  readers,  but  it  will  be  seen  by  the  newspaper 
mergers  referred  to  that  the  Herald-News  today  is,  in  fact,  a 
continuation  of  the  pioneer  newspaper  of  Will  County,  the 
Joliet  Courier,  founded  in  1839. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


EVERY-DAY  LIFE  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


FEVER  AND  AGUE— A  DWELLING— PIONEER  DAYS  IN  WILL  COUNTY— THE  BEE 
HUNTERS— OLD  FORT— LINCOLN  IN  WILL  COUNTY— ANOTHER  FIRST 
WHITE  CHILD — UNDERGROUND  RAILROAD — THE  LATEST  INDIAN  MOUND 
— "ANCIENT  FIRES  AND  LIGHTS  OF  WILL  COUNTY" — KILPATRICK'S  CUR- 
RENCY—STOCK RUNNING  AT  LARGE— SNOWSTORM— OUR  SAC  WAR 

"Fever  and  Ague." — The  most  common  ailment  of  the  pio- 
neer days  was  "fever  and  ague."  It  was  obsolete  fifty  years 
ago  and  had  practically  disappeared  twenty-five  years  before 
that.  The  following  account  is  from  "History  of  Will  County" 
published  fifty  years  ago. 

"True,  we  never  could  boast  of  such  a  prevalence  of  it  as 
they  could  in  Michigan,  where,  it  was  said,  the  church  bells 
used  to  be  rung  in  order  that  the  people  might  know  when  to 
take  their  quinine.  But  it  used  to  be  considered  one  of  the 
things  that  was  necessary  to  constitute  a  man  a  settler,  the 
other  being  the  prairie  itch.  The  writer  well  remembers  his 
first  hug  at  the  ague.  He  had  been  in  the  country  some  three 
or  four  years,  and  had  often  laughed  at  the  exhibition  which 
others  made  while  undergoing  "the  shakes,"  and  felt  himself 
proof  against  it.  He  had  gone  through  various  other  stages 
of  Western  experience;  he  had  had  the  prairie  itch;  had  come 
to  the  age  of  citizenship,  if  not  of  discretion;  had  bought  a  city 
lot  and  paid  taxes;  had  run  for  office,  and  got  elected;  had 
gone  back  East  and  got  a  wife;  and  yet  had  never  had  the 
"ager"! 

490 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  491 

One  beautiful  September  morning,  in  the  year  1838,  he 
thought  he  would  show  the  little  woman  he  had  persuaded  to 
come  back  with  him,  some  of  the  beauties  of  the  country.  This 
could  be  done  in  no  better  way  than  by  a  ride  to  Channahon, 
or  the  "mouth  of  the  Du  Page,"  as  we  then  called  that  locality. 
Accordingly,  in  the  early  morning,  with  a  horse  and  buggy, 
we  set  out.  We  could  say  "we"  now  with  propriety,  and  we 
were  not  a  little  proud  of  it,  and  that  was  one  reason  why 
we  were  going,  to  show  our  cousin  Minerva — Mrs.  Risley — 
who  we  were.  The  morning  was  fine  and  bracing.  We  antici- 
pated much  pleasure.  For  what  is  more  delightful  than  a 
drive  into  the  country  when  the  roads  are  good,  the  horse  fast 
and  sure,  the  air  balmy  and  cool,  and  the  dearest  little  woman 
in  all  the  world  by  your  side !  We  have  said  that  the  morning 
was  cool  and  bracing.  It  soon  began  to  feel  quite  cool,  and  so 
the  writer  remarked  to  his  wife.  She  said  she  was  warm 
enough.  We  rode  a  little  farther,  and,  though  the  sun  got 
higher,  it  seemed  to  grow  increasingly  cold.  In  short,  it  grew 
colder  and  colder,  as  the  sun  got  higher  and  higher,  a  phe- 
nomenon that  seemed  inexplicable.  Presently,  he  felt  an  irre- 
sistible desire  to  yawn  and  stretch  both  his  upper  and  lower 
extremities.  There  was  hardly  room  to  do  this;  out  went  his 
legs  over  the  dashboard,  while  his  arms  went  over  the  seat  and 
around  his  wife,  and  pushed  out  right  and  left,  promiscuously. 
And  still  it  grew  colder  and  colder.  He  put  on  the  heavy  blan- 
ket coat,  which,  fortunately,  he  had  brought  along,  and  his 
wife's  shawl,  which  she  said  she  did  not  really  need.  But  it  all 
did  no  good;  the  stretching  and  gaping  continued,  and  even 
his  teeth  began  to  chatter,  and  to  crown  all,  he  shook — yes, 
SHOOK;  oh,  how  he  did  shake!  and,  incredible  as  it  may  seem, 
he  shook  all  over  and  to  the  remotest  extremities,  and,  like 
great  Caesar's,  "his  coward  lips  did  from  their  color  fly."  And 
all  the  while,  the  little  wife  said  she  was  warm  enough.  If  she 
had  not  been  the  dearest  little  woman  in  all  the  world,  he  would 


492  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

have  been  provoked  to  see  her  sit  there  as  warm  and  com- 
fortable as  in  July,  while  he  was  experiencing  January  and 
February  condensed.  But  by  this  time  she  began  to  wear  a 
look  of  anxiety  at  the  strange  contortions  of  her  husband.  One 
more  resource  remained.  Giving  the  reins  to  his  wife,  he  got 
out  to  try  what  exercise  would  do,  and  told  her  to  whip  up, 
while  he  traveled  on  behind,  with  his  hands  hold  of  the  end 
of  the  buggy.  He  followed  this  up  until  too  leg-weary  to  con- 
tinue it,  and  it  seemed  to  do  little  good.  He  could  not  get 
warm,  and  still  he  gaped  and  stretched,  and  chattered  and 
shook,  and  all  the  time  he  had  not  the  least  suspicion  what  the 
matter  was. 

After  riding  on  a  while  longer,  his  sensations  gradually 
underwent  a  change.  Hot  streaks  seemed  to  alternate  with 
the  cold  ones.  The  gaping  and  stretching  seemed  to  moderate, 
and  other  sensations  took  their  place.  A  slight  headache  came 
on,  and  he  felt  a  suspicion  of  nausea.  The  pallid  and  puckered 
appearance  of  the  countenance  gave  place  to  flushes.  The 
weather  seemed  to  undergo  a  change.  It  grew  suddenly  warm. 
Off  goes  the  shawl  and  blanket  overcoat.  He  asked  his  wife, 
presently,  if  it  was  not  getting  hot,  and  was  almost  provoked 
at  her  cool  reply  that  she  did  not  see  much  change.  But  it 
certainly  was  getting  hot,  he  knew  it  was,  and  off  goes  his 
undercoat.  He  became  thirsty,  and  longed,  oh,  how  he  longed, 
for  water.  Strange  ideas  and  fancies  were  passing  through 
his  mind,  and  he  began  to  talk  strangely  and  loquaciously,  al- 
most incoherently.  The  little  wife  looked  more  troubled  and 
anxious  than  ever,  and  wondered  what  had  come  over  her  se- 
date and  usually  silent  husband.  Presently  he  began  to  feel 
strangely  tired,  listless  and  uneasy,  and  to  long  for  a  good  bed 
and  rest  and  sleep.  And  now,  fortunately,  the  comfortable  log 
house  of  Risley  appears  in  sight.  Oh,  how  welcome !  With  no 
little  exertion  he  gets  out,  leaves  his  wife  to  look  after  the 
horse,  and  soon  occupied  the  whole  of  Mrs.  Risley's  lounge,  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  493 

one  or  two  chairs  besides.  When  he  and  his  wife  between  them 
had  given  an  intelligent  account  of  what  had  been  happening 
on  the  way,  Mrs.  Risley  says,  'Why  Hen !  you  have  got  the  ague !' 
Great  guns !  here  was  a  revelation  indeed.  After  all  his  boasted 
immunity  from  the  ague,  his  defiance  of  it,  the  enemy  had 
stolen  the  march  upon  him,  and  here  he  was,  lying  prostrate 
aj:d  humbled  before  it.  And  even  yet  he  was  not  done  with 
it;  another  stage  of  the  disease  comes  on,  the  nastiest  of  the 
three.  The  half-delirious  fever  passes  off,  and  he  begins  to 
perspire.  Perspire!  that  is  no  name  for  it;  let  us  use  the  more 
homely  but  expressive  word — he  begins  to  sweat.  Ah,  how  he 
sweats !  It  seemed  as  if  all  the  water  in  his  body — and  physi- 
ologists say  every  man  has  two  or  three  buckets  in  him  (al- 
though we  have  seen  some  men  we  don't  believe  have  a  gill  of 
water  in  them) — it  seemed,  we  say,  as  if  all  the  water  in  his 
body  was  coming  to  the  surface,  and  not  much  sweeter  than 
the  Chicago  River.  And  so  he  continued  to  sweat,  sweat,  sweat, 
for  a  good  hour,  saturating  towel  after  towel,  until  exhaustion 
closed  the  scene  and  he  slept.  When  the  afternoon  was  well- 
nigh  spent,  he  awoke,  refreshed,  and  was  able  to  do  some  little 
justice  to  Mrs.  Risley's  fricaseed  chickens  and  doughnuts,  and 
to  start  home,  an  humbler  if  not  a  wiser  man;  and  subdued  in 
tone  and  spirit,  a  little  the  worse  for  the  encounter,  and  with 
the  cheering  prospect  of  a  recurrence  of  the  experience  in  one, 
or  at  most,  two  days. 

A  Dwelling. — A  dwelling  of  the  character  in  use  in  the  pio- 
neer days  would  now  be  considered  a  novelty.  They  generally 
consisted  of  a  pen,  from  sixteen  to  twenty  feet  square,  built 
up  of  small  logs,  notched  at  each  end,  to  admit  of  others  lying 
ihereon.  The  pen  was  built  to  the  height  of  about  ten  feet, 
and  divided  into  a  lower  and  upper  room  by  joists  of  small 
logs  covered  with  boards  split  from  the  bodies  of  straight- 
grained  trees.    Sometimes  the  upper  room  was  dispensed  with, 


494  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

and  the  single  room  answered  the  purpose  of  kitchen,  pantry, 
parlor,  dining-room,  bed-room  and  cellar.  Floors  were  not 
considered  indispensable,  and  Mother  Earth  herself  was  the 
floor  and  carpet.  A  bedstead  has  been  described  to  us  as  con- 
sisting of  two  poles  driven  into  holes  bored  into  the  logs  which 
formed  the  wall  of  the  building,  and  supported  at  the  other 
ends  by  a  stake  driven  into  the  ground.  A  bedcord  was  made 
of  bark  stripped  from  the  body  of  a  hickory  tree.  Windows 
were  glazed  with  panes  made  by  saturating  strong  white  paper 
with  grease.  This  made  a  fine  substitute  for  both  glass  and 
curtains,  for,  while  it  admitted  the  light,  it  also  prevented  the 
direct  rays  of  the  sun  from  entering,  being  translucent  with- 
out being  transparent.  The  roof  of  the  dwelling  was  con- 
structed of  split  shingle — an  article  scarcely  known  at  the 
present — held  in  their  places  by  poles  laid  thereon. 

"Pioneer  Days  in  Will  County." — (By  Hon.  Amos  Savage  of 
Homer,  delivered  at  Old  Settlers'  Reunion  in  1898.  Published 
in  Joliet  News  in  that  year.)  Deacon  Savage,  the  father  of 
Amos,  came  to  the  Yankee  Settlement  in  1833.  In  1836,  his 
son,  Amos  Savage,  settled  in  the  same  neighborhood.  He  en- 
tered the  Civil  war  as  a  private  and  came  out  a  captain. 

In  his  speech  he  contrasted  the  pioneer  of  today,  moving 
west  in  a  freight  car,  and  the  pioneer  with  his  slow  going  team 
of  those  days — the  lack  of  markets,  roads  and  bridges.  In  his 
own  case  the  postoffice  was  at  Fort  Dearborn,  three  days'  travel 
and  the  nearest  supply  station  was  on  the  Wabash.  His  father 
once  worked  out  and  earned  enough  wheat  for  a  grist,  and 
took  it  to  Hobson's  mill  on  the  DuPage.  After  several  days 
he  returned,  but  no  grist — too  many  were  ahead  of  him.  He 
sent  for  it  again  and  again,  but  the  miller  never  reached  it, 
and  finally  it  was  lost,  bags  and  all. 

He  pictured  the  sufferings  of  those  times,  when  horses  and 
cattle  died  of  starvation,  when  strong  men  wept  at  the  suffer- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  495 

ings  of  their  beasts,  and  when  there  was  want  in  the  house- 
hold; but  it  was  not  altogether  bad  in  those  days.  Those  times 
had  a  bright  side,  and  there  was  a  great  deal  of  comfort  in  the 
old  log  cabins.  His  father  had  a  log  house  18x18.  It  had  a 
south  door  and  east  and  west  windows,  and  when  a  possessor 
of  untold  wealth  came  with  an  auger  and  a  saw  to  make  them 
a  north  window,  they  were  as  happy  as  they  could  be.  They 
had  as  much  as  their  neighbors,  and  who  could  want  more  ? 

He  was  nine  years  old  before  he  had  to  beat  a  carpet,  and 
he  could  not  remember  as  his  mother  ever  scolded  him  for 
leaning  back  against  the  wall  and  tearing  down  the  lace  cur- 
tains. He  was  quite  a  big  boy  before  he  lifted  a  pillow  sham 
and  he  hated  to  do  it  yet.  In  fact  he  was  inclined  still  to  the 
good  old  log  cabin  days  and  believed  they  were  the  happiest 
of  his  life.  Speaking  of  the  scarcity  of  fruit  he  told  a  story 
on  his  uncle  Ami  Streeter.  A  man  with  an  arm  full  of  apples, 
noted  for  his  saving  qualities,  met  him  at  Fort  Dearborn  one 
day  and  said,  "Gosh,  Ami,  just  been  buying  some  apples,  taste 
this  one  and  give  your  boy  a  taste,"  handing  out  at  the  same 
time  an  apple  he  was  chewing  at. 

The  husking  bees,  pumpkin  pies  and  fried  cakes  (not  dough- 
nuts) to  him  were  closely  entwined — also  the  girl  that  made 
the  pies  and  the  young  man  hunting  for  red  ears. 

The  remainder  of  his  story  related  principally  to  farm  ma- 
chinery— the  wooden  mold  board  plow,  the  sickle,  scythe,  cra- 
dle, and  flail.  The  first  cast  steel  plow  was  invented  by  Uncle 
John  Lane,  a  resident  of  the  county  to  whom  he  thought  a 
monument  should  be  raised,  if  not  of  stone,  at  least  in  the  hearts 
of  his  countrymen.  Deacon  Snapp  had  the  first  threshing  ma- 
chine. It  threshed  one  hundred  bushels  in  a  day  and  the  clean- 
ing was  done  afterwards.  Henry  was  the  first  feeder  and  he 
was  a  good  feeder,  too  ("I  am  yet,"  said  Mr.  Snapp),  and  fed 
with  all  his  might.    How  I  wondered  at  him,  said  the  speaker, 


496  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

as  he  turned  the  bundle  first  this  way  and  then  that,  and  then 
hurled  it  through  the  cylinders. 

Of  Father  Beggs,  said  Mr.  Savage,  he  was  our  first  preacher 
and  no  camp  meeting,  or  religious  thought  of  the  old  times  is 
complete  without  him.  Verily  he  was  like  the  voice  of  one 
crying  in  the  wilderness — strong,  young,  vigorous,  type  of  the 
pioneer  Methodist,  and  I  thought  as  I  viewed  the  elegantly 
equipped  camp  meeting  grounds  at  New  Lenox  the  other  day 
that  we  had  just  as  good  meetings  then — God  bless  this  old 
grey  head,  said  he,  touching  Father  Beggs  at  his  right. 

Mr.  Beggs  responded  by  saying  that  often  in  their  old  camp 
meetings  they  had  their  last  sinner  down. 

Hon.  Henry  Snapp  followed  in  a  humorous  speech,  well 
stocked  with  statistics  and  sermons.  He  reviewed  the  settle- 
ment of  the  county  from  the  time  Joliet  and  Marquette  in  1673 
explored  the  Des  Plaines  River  and  told  of  the  buffalo  bones 
he  and  Charley  Weeks  used  to  find  out  on  the  prairies,  when 
they  were  wading  about  with  pants  rolled  up  to  their  knees, 
and  not  very  much  pants  at  that.  Eggs,  he  said,  sold  in  Lock- 
port  during  the  wild  cat  days,  when  we  did  not  have  the  best 
money  in  the  world — a  greenback  based  on  the  faith  and  credit 
of  the  nation — at  three  cents  per  dozen  and  wheat  for  twenty- 
five  cents  per  bushel. 

The  Bee  Hunters. — Early  conditions  in  those  early  days  are 
not  easy  to  vision  by  the  people  of  1928,  surrounded  by  so  many 
luxuries  and  conveniences  that  one  scarcely  knows  what  efforts 
were  required  of  the  first  settlers.  The  bee-hunter  was  a  well 
known  character  in  those  early  times.  He  was  able  to  track 
a  bee  on  the  wing  loaded  with  honey.  Her  hidden  storehouse 
was  soon  found.  A  good  ax  and  willing  muscles  soon  felled 
the  tree  and  enabled  him  to  gather  the  stored  sweets. 

One  time  some  Joliet  ladies  made  up  a  party  to  visit  the  bee- 
hunter  in  his  cabin  to  enjoy  biscuits  and  honey.    He  had  in- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  497 

vited  them  many  times.  The  wife  of  a  well  known  judge,  a 
bride  from  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  went  with  the  party.  This 
bride  accepted  the  invitation,  saying  that  she  was  very  fond 
of  honey.  As  the  party  drew  near  the  cabin  in  the  edge  of  the 
timber,  they  were  surprised  to  see  four  big,  bouncing  girls 
come  out  of  the  house  with  divers  articles  of  apparel  in  their 
hands,  and  disappear  behind  some  haystacks.  They  conjec- 
tured what  the  reason  was  on  entering  the  house  and  finding 
that  it  consisted  of  but  one  room,  in  which  all  the  operations 
of  eating,  cooking,  sleeping,  washing,  and  dressing  had  to  be 
performed;  and  when,  after  a  little,  the  girls  re-appeared 
dressed  in  their  best  "Turkey  red",  to  assist  their  mother  in 
entertaining  the  visitors,  they  understood  the  meaning  of  the 
sudden  exit  of  the  girls.  Mrs.  Wilson  to  whom  everything  was 
new,  wondered  what  the  girls  did  when  they  had  no  haystacks. 
She  studied,  too,  on  the  problem  how  all  the  persons  that 
seemed  to  belong  to  the  family  would  be  disposed  of  in  those 
two  beds,  never  dreaming  that  the  pegs  which  projected  from 
the  wall  in  one  corner  were  the  means  of  ascent  to  a  loft  above, 
where  the  boys  could  sleep.  She  wondered,  too,  where  the 
honey  and  other  family  stores  could  be  kept,  as  there  was  no 
indication  of  closet  or  pantry  to  be  seen.  Mrs.  Wilson  kept 
close  watch  of  every  movement  and  soon  saw  where  they  kept 
things.  The  good  hostess  drew  forth  from  under  one  of  the 
beds  an  old  fashioned  cradle,  which,  being  released  from  its 
normal  use,  was  compelled  to  do  duty  as  a  flour  chest.  In  this 
she  mixed  up  the  quick  biscuits  which  were  to  serve  as  the 
vehicle  for  the  honey;  and  she  and  her  girls  drew  forth  from 
the  same  mysterious  region,  the  various  articles  necessary  to 
spread  the  board,  and  among  the  rest,  the  vessel  containing  the 
honey.  Presently  all  were  invited  to  "draw  up."  All  "drew 
up"  but  Mrs.  Wilson.  She  was  not  accustomed  to  frontier  life 
and  had  seen  so  much  and  caught  so  many  glimpses  of  the 
mysterious  regions  where  they  kept  things,  that  she  suddenly 

32— VOL.  1 


498  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

remembered  that  biscuits  and  honey  did  not  agree  with  her. 
She  was  filled  with  astonishment  as  she  saw  biscuits  and  honey 
disappear. 

Old  Fort. — The  first  settlers  encountered  the  Indians  of 
whom  they  were  always  suspicious.  Usually  the  Red  Man  was 
friendly  until  he  was  aroused  by  the  treachery  of  the  White 
Man  or  by  the  White  Man's  whiskey.  Thus  it  came  about  that 
forts  were  numerous.  The  scare  which  came  with  the  Black 
Hawk  war  produced  forts  in  and  about  Joliet  even  though  the 
war  never  came  this  far.  The  Pottawattamie  tribe  remained 
friendly  throughout  and  aided  the  White  Man.  Fort  Nonsense 
was  built  just  west  of  Bluff  Street  on  the  site  of  306  North 
Broadway  of  today  (1928).  It  was  called  Fort  Nonsense  be- 
cause it  contained  no  provision  for  water  or  food.  It  might 
have  been  called  Fort  Nonsense  because  it  was  so  foolish  a 
thing  to  build  it  when  it  was  not  needed.  Another  fortification 
was  in  Reed's  woods.  No  record  is  found  that  it  was  ever  used. 
There  was  a  fort  at  Kankakee  to  which  many  of  our  people 
went  in  the  panic  which  overtook  them.  Another  was  at  Fort 
Dearborn,  Chicago,  to  which  a  few  from  the  Yankee  settlement 
went. 

An  ancient  fort  is  found  in  the  east  part  of  the  city  park 
which  was  formerly  the  Higinbotham  woods.  The  exact  loca- 
tion is,  500  feet  west  and  75  feet  south  of  northeast  corner  of 
the  west  one-half  of  the  southeast  fourth  of  section  8  in  Joliet 
Township  (T.  35  N.  R.  11  E.)  The  Higinbotham  woods  was  an 
80  acre  tract  which  was  untouched  by  the  axe  until  1918  when 
it  was  stripped.  This  80  acre  tract  was  deeded  to  the  city  for  a 
park  two  or  three  years  after  that.  At  this  writing  second 
growth  timber  is  coming  along  very  nicely.  The  old  fort  is  in 
the  northeast  corner  of  this  80  acre  tract. 

No  one  knows  the  builders  of  this  fort  and  no  one  knows 
what  use  was  made  of  it.    It  might  be  named  Fort  Mystery, 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  499 

Usually  it  is  spoken  of  as  Fort  Higinbotham.  It  was  surveyed 
many  years  ago  and  was  found  to  be  120  feet  by  146  feet  of  an 
irregular  outline.  Within  the  fort  were  found  White  Oak 
trees,  300  years  old.  The  question  naturally  arises,  did  they 
grow  after  the  fort  was  built?  One  is  inclined  to  think  that 
they  did.  Banks  of  earth  banked  one  and  two  feet  high  still 
remain  with  ditches  on  each  side  indicating  how  the  embank- 
ment was  made.  Within  the  walls  are  three  cavities  indicating 
that  the  garrison  had  a  well,  a  magazine  or  storehouse,  and  a 
shelter  cave. 

South  of  this  fort  along  the  high  land  adjacent  to  Hickory 
Creek  was  a  favorite  residence  section  for  the  Indians.  When 
the  Whites  first  came,  an  Indian  village  was  found  extending 
along  Hickory  Creek  from  what  is  now  the  east  edge  of  the 
village  of  New  Lenox.  This  tribe  was  always  friendly  with  the 
Whites.  One  may  assume  that  the  old  fort  was  built  by  French 
traders  who  traveled  this  way  and  who  sought  the  trade  which 
came  to  the  Indian  village.  They  may  have  been  distrustful 
of  the  Red  Man  and  may  have  established  the  fort  as  a  res- 
idence and  retreat  in  case  of  danger.  Another  guess  is  that  it 
was  built  by  the  people  who  preceeded  the  Indians  known  to 
the  Whites.  If  this  were  true  it  goes  back  a  number  of  cen- 
turies. One  guess  is  as  good  as  another.  In  this  connection 
we  present  an  account  of  the  ancient  fort  which  was  written 
by  James  H.  Ferriss  and  published  in  the  Herald-News,  Febru- 
ary 28,  1926.  Mr.  Ferriss'  article  rambles  a  great  deal  but  it  is 
given  in  its  entirety  because  it  contains  many  points  of  inter- 
est. 

In  Mr.  Ferriss'  article  he  speaks  of  the  mound  in  Oakwood 
cemetery.  He  says  that  it  was  a  town  hall  site  for  the  tribe. 
That  he  was  wrong  is  proved  by  the  excavations  which  were 
made  in  the  summer  of  1928.  These  explorers  decided  that  the 
large  number  of  bodies  in  the  mound  indicated  that  some  sort 
of  a  pestilence  carried  off  large  numbers  of  the  people.    It  is 


500  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

estimated  that  this  mound  contains  between  350  and  400  bodies. 
However,  this  is  spoken  of  in  another  chapter  and  need  not  be 
repeated  here. 

The  following  is  the  article  by  Mr.  Ferriss: 

"In  the  Higinbotham  Woods,  near  the  northeast  corner,  is 
found  an  ancient  fort,  of  which  very  little  is  known.  It  was 
staked  out  by  people  with  a  compass,  or  at  least  an  accurate 
knowledge  of  direction ;  perhaps  by  accident.  As  will  be  seen 
by  its  mapping  it  stands  true  with  the  north  star. 

"It  was  not  a  large  fort,  or  stockade,  as  it  contains  less  than 
an  acre  of  ground.  The  walls  are  now  only  three  or  four  feet 
above  the  forest  level,  and  the  ditches  not  more  than  two  or 
three  feet  below. 

"Fifty  years,  more,  or  less,  a  survey  was  made  by  our  anci- 
ent surveyor,  Mathieson,  if  I  have  spelled  the  name  correctly, 
and  I  think  at  a  later  elate  by  his  successor,  Adam  Comstock. 
The  first  survey  located  excavations  of  supposed  magazines, 
wells  and  underground  shelters.  The  one  here  presented,  loan- 
ed to  me  by  William  H.  Zarley,  heir  of  an  ancient  Joliet  tribe 
and  of  all  the  county  surveyors,  designates  white  oak  stumps 
which  are  about  300  years  old. 

"Note  the  sally  port  at  the  southwest  corner,  closed  by  the 
artist,  but  in  reality  closed  only  by  the  falling  walls.  Here  was 
the  point  where  the  deseiged  could  dart  out  for  a  moment  or 
two  and  scatter  their  assailants  if  there  were  not  too  many  of 
the  latter. 

"The  eastward  arrowpoints  on  this  southern  boundary 
probably  designates  a  tower  for  sharpshooters  who  could  thus 
protect  both  sally  port  and  the  gate  at  the  southeast  corner. 

"Who  built  this  fort?  The  park  fans  would  like  to  know. 
In  the  early  days  of  LaSalle,  historians  tell  us  of  the  forts  built 
by  the  French  government  and  the  fur  traders. 

"As  it  runs  in  my  mind  there  were  75  government  forts  be- 
tween Montreal  and  the  lowest  on  the  Mississippi  river.    The 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  501 

French  and  English  fur  traders  later  were  not  always  friend- 
ly, and  the  Frenchmen  built  more  forts,  as  that  type  of  con- 
struction seemed  to  run  in  that  nationality. 

"One  of  these  historical  things  was  built  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Joe  river  in  Michigan.  Crossings  were  made  from  the 
Joliet  Lake,  down  here  by  the  electric  light  plant  to  St.  Joe,  an- 
other at  Chicago,  another  at  the  Sag.  There  are  two  at  Starved 
Rock,  one  on  the  rock,  another  very  large  one-half  mile  or  so 
back  in  the  flat  woods,  also  another  at  Peoria.  These  were 
known  to  be  military  ports,  occupied  or  assaulted  by  some  of 
our  own  ancestors — St.  Joe,  Chicago,  Starved  Rock  and  Peoria. 

"It  runs  in  my  mind  that  there  were  more  in  between. 
Trappers  and  packers  going  up  or  down  stream  had  to  have 
well  protected  sleeping  places  at  the  end  of  a  day's  journey. 
Probably  the  Sag  fort  is  also  of  this  class. 

"Just  a  few  months  ago  the  late  Louis  Gougar  told  me  that 
when  his  father,  Daniel,  settled  upon  government  land  on  Hic- 
kory creek,  near  the  long  bridge,  Gougar's  crossing  of  the  Rock 
Island,  that  they  were  in  the  midst  of  a  large  Indian  village, 
three  miles  long,  reaching  from  the  present  Michigan  Central 
tracks  to  Spring  creek.  The  barns  of  the  Gougar  estate  occupy 
the  site  of  the  old  Indian  burying  ground.  Thus,  my  own 
thought  is  that  one  park  fort  was  a  traders'  or  trappers'  fort, 
located  not  in,  but  near  by  to  this  Indian  village,  a  custom  with 
later  Indian  traders. 

"On  the  south  side  of  the  Frances  road  in  the  Higinbotham 
woods,  was  another  so-called  fort,  occupied  during  the  lifetime 
of  New  Lenox  families.  Only  a  few  pieces  of  limestone  used 
for  a  surface  foundation  to  the  building  remains. 

"Fort  Nonsense,  now  occupied  as  a  homestead  by  Frank 
Marsh,  on  Broadway,  a  high  point,  north  of  Western  avenue, 
was  built  during  the  Black  Hawk  scare.  The  nonsense  part 
of  it  was  that  it  contained  no  water  supply  or  preparations  for 
getting  a  drink. 


502  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"The  fort  at  Plainfieid,  I  think  has  a  later  history  than  the 
LaSalle  system.  Somebody  has  asked  me  to  look  up  and  hunt 
out  these  forts.    This  is  where  I  commenced  hunting. 

"The  hills  along  the  streams  of  this  vicinity  were  attrac- 
tive to  the  Indians,  who  also  had  an  admiration  for  beautiful 
scenery,  particularly  where  drinking  water  seemed  convenient. 
They  too,  had  something  of  a  taste  socially.  That  is,  had  an 
aristocracy.  The  best  arrow  points  are  found  near  the  scenic 
springs,  and  the  inferior  ones  near  the  stagnant  sloughs  and 
damp  camping  sites.  Large  settlements  were  near  the  electric 
light  spring,  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  between  the  old 
mound  and  the  highland. 

"West  Park  is  covered  with  flint  chips,  the  ground  is  still 
red  near  the  spring  from  their  camp  fires,  and  there  was  an 
Indian  garden  below  the  south  line. 

"The  old  mound  contained  Indian  graves,  and  here  Pontiac, 
the  great  chief  of  the  Iroquois,  was  killed  by  Kinmaboo,  chief 
of  the  Illini,  causing  the  war  which  led  to  the  extermination 
of  the  Lallie  tribe.  The  mound  in  Oakwood  cemetery  was 
where  something  like  a  town  hall,  or  tribe  hall  for  the  Illini 
was  located,  and  the  hills  along  Hickory  Creek  were  factories 
for  their  flint  works. 

"To  see  for  yourself  the  Higinbotham  fort,  take  the  Fran- 
cis road,  leaving  from  the  Gougar  road  at  the  school  house, 
and  proceed  on  the  gravel  eastward  to  the  first  bridge.  A  short 
distance  after  crossing  the  bridge  are  two  rough  wood  roads 
on  the  left.  The  first  one  is  the  best.  It's  not  far  to  walk.  A 
little  brush  has  been  cut  away  and  probably  next  season  a  bet- 
ter road  will  be  provided.  Westward  down  a  side  ravine,  a 
spring  of  excellent  drinking  water  by  the  brookside  may  be 
found." 

Lincoln  in  Will  County. — Lincoln  visited  Will  County  when 
campaigning.    Opinions  differ  about  the  place  where  he  stood. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  503 

That  is  not  so  important.  We  do  like  to  know  of  his  coming. 
The  following  account  is  by  Mrs.  Almeda  Stephenson  in  the 
Herald-News  (1928) : 

"Contrary  to  popular  belief  that  beauty  pageants  are  com- 
paratively new  and  modern,  records  and  the  memory  of  Mrs. 
Almeda  Stephenson,  82-year  old  Will  County  pioneer  resident, 
serve  to  provide  evidence  that  Will  County's  first  beauty  page- 
ant was  held  in  1858,  and  for  one  of  the  nation's  greatest  per- 
sonages, Abraham  Lincoln. 

"Mrs.  Stephenson,  now  living  in  an  apartment  at  No.  1  East 
Jefferson  street,  and  who  is  at  present  visiting  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Townsend,  in  Evanston,  recalls  vividly  her  experi- 
ences on  that  occasion,  when  in  company  with  nine  companions, 
all  twelve  years  of  age,  she  participated  in  the  event. 

"Abraham  Lincoln  was  at  that  time  campaigning  for  the 
United  States  senator,  and  it  was  at  the  time  of  the  famous 
Lincoln-Douglas  debates,  that  he  stopped  in  Joliet.  The  whole 
countryside  turned  out  to  greet  him,  and  Mrs.  Stephenson  was 
allowed  to  ride  on  a  hayrack  in  the  parade,  because  her  father, 
the  late  Abraham  Wilkins,  happened  to  be  in  charge  of  ar- 
rangements. 

"Mrs.  Stephenson  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  honored  candi- 
date was  less  interested  in  the  young  beauties  on  the  hayrack 
than  the  men  of  today  would  be. 

"  'But  the  girls  on  the  hayrack  carrying  parasols  and  wear- 
ing ribbons  denoting  the  counties  they  represented,  didn't  feel 
bad,'  she  said.  'We  were  disgusted  with  his  appearance,  he 
looked  so  tall  and  awkward,  and  we  all  agreed  that  he  would 
never  amount  to  much,  even  tho  our  parents,  most  of  whom 
were  staunch  republicans,  had  awaited  his  coming  eagerly.' 

"  'As  Lincoln  talked,  however,  tho  we  knew  little  of  what 
it  all  meant,  we  listened  to  his  oratory,  and  our  parents  were 
deeply  impressed.' 


504  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

"The  meeting  was  held,  Mrs.  Stephenson  recalls,  in  what 
was  known  at  that  time  as  Demmond's  Woods,  and  was  located 
on  the  west  side  of  Joliet.  She  lived  with  her  parents  and  ten 
brothers  and  sisters,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  herself 
are  now  dead,  in  Florence  Township,  four  miles  east  of  Wil- 
mington. 

"Her  father,  she  states,  showed  his  anxiety  to  hear  Lincoln 
by  driving  miles  over  plankroads  to  get  to  the  political  mass 
meeting  and  paying  toll  for  all  the  girls  in  the  pageant.  He 
also  arranged  a  rail  splitting  contest  before  the  meeting  began 
in  honor  of  Lincoln,  and  it  was  obvious  that  Lincoln  was  more 
interested  in  that  than  in  the  girls. 

"  'Such  an  event  was  just  like  a  circus  to  us,  and  people  came 
in  ox  carts  and  on  horseback.  It  was  the  only  time  I  ever  saw 
Lincoln,  but  I  never  forgot  that  day/  she  said. 

"Mrs.  Stephenson  believes  that  her  companions  all  of  whom 
came  from  prominent  and  representative  families  of  Will 
County  in  the  early  days  of  its  history,  are  now  dead.  Her 
parents  had  originally  lived  in  Lockport,  but  she  was  born  on 
the  'old  Bliss  farm/  two  miles  west  of  New  Lenox,  where  Miss 
Hattie  Francis,  daughter  of  the  late  John  Francis  and  Maria 
Bliss,  now  resides. 

"Mrs.  Stephenson  is  the  last  surviving  member  of  her  fam- 
ily, and  her  relatives  are  all  buried  in  Lockport  cemeteries." 

Another  First  White  Child. — The  following  account  of  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Will  County  is  contributed  by  Miss 
Helen  Hutchison.  It  is  given  in  its  entirety  even  though  it  re- 
peats some  things  given  elsewhere : 

The  Linebarger  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  history  of 
Will  County  and  Jackson  Township.  John  Linebarger  and  his 
wife  originally  came  from  Holland,  and  were  of  German 
descent.  In  Holland  their  name  was  Von  Linebarger,  but  up- 
on arriving  in  the  United  States  they  dropped  the  Von.    The 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  505 

Linebargers  settled  in  North  Carolina,  and  lived  there  for  a 
number  of  years.  It  was  here  that  all  of  John  Linebarger's 
children  were  born;  then  as  the  East  became  more  thickly  sett- 
led they  began  to  move  westward. 

They  first  moved  to  White  River,  Indiana,  and  lived  there 
until  the  fall  of  1821,  when  they  settled  in  Parke  County,  Indi- 
ana. 

Because  of  the  size  of  their  family  they  formed  a  little  col- 
ony. They  had  a  church  and  cemetery,  which  is  still  known  as 
the  Linebarger  church  and  cemetery.  It  wTas  here  that  John 
Linebarger  and  his  wife  died  and  were  buried  in  this  quiet  lit- 
tle cemetery.  It  was  here  also  that  three  of  the  sons  were 
married,  George,  John,  and  Henry.  Henry,  who  was  born  in 
Lincoln  County,  North  Carolina,  on  December  24,  1807,  mar- 
ried Nancy  Hougham  in  1829.  She  was  born  on  January  1, 
1811  in  Ohio. 

In  the  fall  of  1832  all  four  sons  came  to  Illinois  and  took  up 
land  from  the  Government  at  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre. 
This  land  was  in  what  was  then  known  as  Cook  County  but  now 
known  as  Will  County.  Henry  and  George  took  up  land  not 
far  apart  in  Jackson  Township.  Lewis  settled  near  Wilming- 
ton, but  only  stayed  a  few  years,  and  then  went  to  Oregon, 
John  did  not  take  up  land  at  this  time  but  returned  to  Indiana 
on  account  of  the  scare  which  came  during  the  Black  Hawk 
War.  None  of  our  people  were  disturbed  by  the  Indians  but  the 
panic  caused  many  to  leave.  The  next  year  they  returned  to 
find  that  the  natives  had  cared  for  their  stock  in  their  absence. 
He  returned  in  1850  and  settled  near  Wilmington.  After  tak- 
ing up  the  land  they  built  their  homes.  It  was  a  long  hard 
task  building  a  home  in  those  days,  when  one  had  to  chop  down 
the  trees  to  secure  the  material  for  his  home,  then  plane  them, 
make  his  own  pegs,  and  build  his  own  house  with  only  the  help 
of  neighbors.  Their  home  was  made  from  the  logs  of  the  trees 
which  they  cut  down  when  clearing  their  land.    The  cabin  was 


506  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

put  together  with  wooden  pegs  which  had  been  made  by  hand. 
No  shingles  were  used;  but  they  put  the  planed  logs  together 
and  then  put  straw  on  top  of  them  to  make  the  house  warm. 
Clay  was  put  in  between  the  logs  to  keep  out  the  wind,  rain  and 
snow.  Even  after  one  had  his  house  built  he  was  not  through 
for  he  still  had  the  furniture  to  make  unless  they  were  fort- 
unate enough  to  have  some  left  from  their  former  life.  Their 
tables  were  logs  planed  off  on  one  side  and  holes  bored  in  the 
bottom  and  legs  stuck  in.  Their  chairs  were  made  in  the  same 
way  but  they  were  just  stools  and  had  no  backs  to  them. 
Babies'  cradles  were  made  by  hollowing  out  a  log  and  leaving 
the  rounded  sides  so  that  they  would  rock.  After  the  cabins 
wTere  built  they  began  the  long  hard  journey  back  to  Indiana 
for  their  families,  household  goods,  and  stock.  The  trip  to 
Illinois  was  a  long  one ;  for  it  was  very  difficult  to  travel  very 
fast  when  driving  a  herd  of  cattle,  sheep,  pigs  and  horses  and 
when  the  wagons  were  drawn  by  oxen.  When  they  arrived  at 
their  new  home  in  March  of  1833  the  Indians  were  making 
maple  sugar  in  the  woods  north  of  their  cabin;  for  the  forest 
around  in  this  locality  was  full  of  maple  trees.  The  Indians 
were  using  dishes  made  out  of  hollowed  logs  for  their  sugar. 
These  Indians  were  of  a  friendly  Pottawattamie  tribe.  The 
first  few  months  of  their  stay  in  Illinois  were  busy  months. 
The  wives  had  to  get  settled  in  their  new  homes,  make  sugar 
and  feed  their  hungry  families.  Mrs.  Henry  Linebarger  had 
her  two  daughters,  Mary  and  Sara  to  help  her;  for  they  did 
not  have  to  go  to  school  for  the  good  reason  that  there  was 
none  to  go  to.  Their  mother  taught  them  all  she  knew  by  the 
light  of  the  fireplace  at  night,  after  all  the  work  was  done  foi; 
the  day.  Henry  was  not  so  fortunate  for  he  had  no  sons  to 
help  him;  but  his  brothers  "changed  work  with  him"  as  they 
called  it  in  those  days.  He  had  his  barns  and  sheds  to  make 
to  shelter  his  stock  from  the  weather,  to  clear  the  land  and 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  507 

have  it  ready  for  cultivation  in  the  spring  and  all  of  this  kept 
him  very  busy. 

A  few  months  after  their  arrival,  Andrew  Jackson  Linebar- 
ger  was  born  on  January  7, 1834.  He  was  named  for  President 
Andrew  Jackson,  the  same  as  were  the  township  and  the  little 
creek  that  runs  through  it.  Often  when  the  Indians  would 
come  to  visit  his  parents  they  would  rock  him  as  he  lay  in  his 
log  cradle.  His  mother  washed  at  the  little  spring  where  they 
watered  their  stock  which  was  a  short  distance  from  the  cabin; 
but  she  always  was  afraid  to  leave  the  children  in  the  house 
alone,  because  she  feared  an  Indian  attack,  so  she  usually  took 
them  with  her;  but  one  day  for  some  reason  she  left  them  alone' 
and  when  she  returned  the  children  were  gone.  She  was  terri- 
fied and  rushed  to  find  her  husband.  He  told  her  that  while 
she  was  gone  from  the  house  he  had  returned  and  taken  the 
youngsters  with  him  out  to  the  field  where  he  was  working. 
The  Indians  came  to  the  Linebargers  very  often  for  food  and 
it  was  never  refused  them,  because  the  white  settlers  did  not 
want  to  do  anything  to  the  Indians  that  might  cause  a  quarrel. 
One  day  a  red  man  came  to  the  door  and  asked  for  something 
to  eat.  Mrs.  Linebarger  told  him  she  had  nothing  for  him 
which  was  the  truth;  but  she  told  him  she  was  baking  bread. 
He  seemed  to  doubt  it  so  she  opened  her  oven  door  and  showed 
him;  for  she  was  afraid  he  might  be  angry  because  she  didn't 
give  him  anything  to  eat.  This  convinced  him  and  he  grunted 
and  walked  off.  The  Indians  often  came  to  trade.  They  would 
take  little  pieces  of  bright  cloth  or  beads  for  something  that 
was  really  valuable.  After  the  trade  was  made  they  would 
go  off  pleased,  thinking  they  had  received  the  best  of  the  deal. 
One  day  when  Mrs.  Linebarger  was  alone  in  the  house  and 
Jackson  was  sleeping  in  his  little  cradle,  a  short,  stout,  ugly 
looking  Indian  came  to  the  door,  where  she  was  spinning  and 
asked  for  something  to  eat.    She  was  afraid  of  such  an  ugly 


508  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Indian  and  she  did  not  care  about  having  much  to  do  with  him 
or  even  give  him  any  bread;  but  her  better  judgment  over- 
ruled and  she  got  him  a  piece  of  bread,  butter  and  jam.  He 
sat  down  on  the  door  step,  near  where  she  was  spinning,  with- 
out saying  a  word.  Nancy  kept  on  spinning  although  she  was 
very  much  frightened;  for  she  did  not  know  what  would  hap- 
pen when  he  had  finished  eating.  Finally  he  was  through,  then 
she  saw  a  scalping  knife  being  slid  slowly  and  silently  along  the 
floor  toward  her.  She  sat  there  breathless  thinking  every  mo- 
ment would  be  her  last.  The  knife  came  nearer  and  nearer, 
then  it  was  raised  up  on  the  spinning  wheel  and  slid  over  right 
under  her  hand.  When  she  looked  at  it  again  it  was  being 
slowly  with-drawn  and  when  she  looked  where  it  had  been  she 
found,  much  to  her  surprise,  a  fifty  cent  piece  laying  there, 
which  he  had  slid  over  to  her  in  this  way.  Then  Indian  fashion 
he  grunted  and  went  away.  It  was  afterwards  thought  that 
this  was  Shabbona,  chief  of  a  tribe  of  Pottawatamies.  In  1832, 
the  settlers  of  this  locality  had  an  Indian  scare.  They  had 
heard  that  the  Indians  near  Ottawa  were  on  the  war  path  and 
that  they  were  coming  in  their  direction.  Previously,  the 
whites  and  red  men  had  been  on  the  best  of  terms;  and  especial- 
ly in  this  region  there  seemed  to  be  no  jealousies  existing  be- 
tween the  two  races.  Land  and  game  were  plentiful  and  there 
were  few  white  settlers  so  that  the  Indians  did  not  feel  as 
though  they  were  being  encroached  upon.  Then,  as  people  be- 
gan to  come  in  more  rapidly  Black  Hawk  and  his  followers  had 
become  restless  and  jealous  of  the  white  people.  These  jealous- 
ies finally  broke  out  in  a  conflict.  In  May  of  1832,  several  fami- 
lies were  massacred  near  Ottawa.  This  of  course  aroused  the 
people  living  in  the  outlying  districts.  The  people  of  Will 
County  and  the  surrounding  territory  knew  they  were  not  able 
to  repel  an  attack  so  thought  it  best  to  go  to  Indiana  to  a  fort 
on  the  Wabash.  Then  the  following  night  about  twenty  wagons 
and  teams  were  gathered  at  Five  Mile  Grove  ready  to  start. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  509 

Then  when  they  were  about  ready  to  start  they  were  joined 
by  some  parties  who  said  that  the  Indians  were  approaching. 
There  was  a  great  confusion  and  a  hurried  departure.  The 
settlers  had  intended  to  take  their  cattle  and  household  goods 
but  they  were  in  such  a  hurry  to  get  away  that  they  left  them 
behind.  Their  route  lead  through  Manhattan,  Wilton,  and 
Rockville  Townships  and  crossing  the  Kankakee  River  at  one 
of  its  fords.  After  they  had  gone  a  distance  and  were  not 
pursued,  Henry  Linebarger  and  another  man  determined  to  re- 
turn on  horseback  and  bring  as  much  of  the  stock  as  they  could 
find.  When  they  got  back  they  found  that  all  the  stock  had 
wandered  off,  but  Henry  remembered  a  sack  of  maple  sugar 
he  had  with  his  household  goods,  for  they  used  maple  sugar  all 
the  time  in  those  days,  so  he  got  it  and  threw  it  across  the  back 
of  his  horse.  After  they  had  gone  a  short  distance  on  their 
way  back  to  join  their  companions  they  saw  in  the  distance  two 
Indians  following  them  rapidly.  They  very  naturally  thought 
that  these  were  scouts  of  the  main  party  of  Indians.  So  they 
spurred  their  horses  but  nevertheless,  the  Indians  gained  on 
them.  The  bag  of  sugar  was  quite  a  burden,  so  they  threw  it 
off.  Then  the  riders  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  the  Indians. 
Indians  are  notoriously  fond  of  sugar  and  this  was  a  great 
prize  for  them  so  they  stopped  to  eat  some  before  they  again 
took  up  the  pursuit.  As  soon  as  the  main  branch  of  fleeing 
settlers  heard  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  they  rushed  on 
faster  than  ever.  A  few  days  later  they  found  that  the  last 
scare  was  only  some  friendly  Pottawattamies.  So  they  halted 
to  eat  and  sleep  but  they  had  no  more  prepared  for  a  rest  than 
some  scouts  came  rushing  in  saying  that  the  Indians  were 
after  them  in  earnest.  They  packed  up  speedily  and  hurried 
on.  In  a  few  days  they  reached  Danville  and  learned  that 
troops  had  been  sent  to  quell  the  Indian  uprising.  Black  Hawk 
was  soon  driven  out  of  the  country  and  there  was  no  more 
danger,  so  they  returned  to  their  homes  and  found  most  of 


510  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

the  stock  unmolested.  When  Henry  returned  to  his  home  he 
could  not  find  his  stock;  but  a  friendly  Indian  came  and  told 
him  that  he  had  hid  them  for  him  and  if  he  would  go  with  him 
would  find  them.  Henry  also  received  part  of  the  bag  of  sugar 
he  dropped;  for  it  was  found  afterwards  that  those  Indians 
were  merely  friendly  Indians  trying  to  tell  them  that  there 
was  no  danger  whatever.  After  this  incident  Henry  Linebar- 
ger  was  known  as  Runabarger  to  the  Indians.  One  day  when 
Jackson  was  about  seven  years  old  his  father,  his  two  brothers 
and  he  got  up  early  in  the  morning,  did  the  work  and  started 
for  Joliet;  for  there  was  much  that  Mr.  Linebarger  wanted  to 
do  in  town.  The  boys  of  course  were  very  much  excited  over 
the  prospects  of  going  once  or  twice  a  year.  When  they  ar- 
rived they  drove  down  the  main  street  which  was  Bluff  Street 
and  their  father  hitched  the  horses  in  front  of  a  grocery  store, 
and  left  them  sitting  there  while  he  went  about  his  work.  While 
they  were  sitting  there  a  kind  man  came  along  and  gave  them 
a  penny.  After  a  time  Jackson  who  was  the  older  became 
brave  enough  to  go  into  the  store  and  buy  some  raisins.  He 
got  his  raisins  and  the  good  store  keeper  gave  him  back  his 
penny.  The  boys  ate  the  raisins  greedily  and  soon  they  were 
gone.  Then  Jonathan  the  next  older  took  the  penny  and  went 
into  the  store  and  had  the  same  results  as  Jackson.  When 
these  raisins  were  gone  Lewis  went  in  and  gave  the  store 
keeper  his  penny  and  got  the  raisins  but  not  his  penny  back 
this  time.  He  did  not  know  that  he  should  not  get  it  back,  so 
when  he  had  gone  out  he  cried  as  though  his  heart  would  break 
because  his  penny  was  not  returned. 

From  the  very  first,  the  inhabitants  of  Jackson  township 
have  manifested  more  than  an  ordinary  interest  in  those  two 
reforming  and  elevating  influences — religion  and  education. 
In  about  1838  a  log  school  house  was  built  about  half  way  be- 
tween the  site  of  the  present  school  and  the  Tehle  home.  It 
was  here  that  Jackson  was  taught  to  read,  write  and  do  arith- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  511 

metic.  School  was  not  held  very  regularly  because  of  the  lack 
of  teachers.  Mr.  Spoors  of  Stars  Grove  was  the  teacher  for  a 
while.  For  a  time  after  their  arrival  in  Illinois  the  settlers 
held  their  church  services  in  their  homes  but  as  soon  as  possible 
they  built  churches.  Before  they  built  them,  church  was  some- 
times held  in  the  school  house.  The  first  church  established 
was  the  Methodist  Church.  For  a  while  the  Linebargers  at- 
tended this  but  when  the  Baptist  church  was  established  they 
went  there  because  before  coming  here  they  had  gone  to  the 
Baptist  Church.  Transportation  conditions  were  not  the  best 
in  those  days.  When  they  wanted  to  go  to  Chicago,  which  was 
a  mere  village  then  they  went  with  oxen  and  would  wind  their 
way  among  sloughs  and  over  wild  open  prairies.  When  mak- 
ing this  trip  one  allowed  three  days  for  it.  They  would  get  a 
very  early  start  the  first  morning  and  by  hard  traveling  make  a 
tavern  that  was  quite  a  distance  outside  of  Chicago,  they  would 
stay  there  over  night,  get  an  early  start  the  next  morning  and 
by  steady  traveling  be  able  to  get  to  Chicago,  do  their  trading 
and  return  to  the  tavern  by  night.  The  next  day  they  would 
return  home.  One  year  Henry  Linebarger  raised  a  load  of 
fine  watermelons,  for  they  grow  very  well  on  sod.  He  took 
this  load  of  watermelons  by  ox  team  to  Chicago  to  sell  and  they 
were  such  a  treat  to  the  Indians  who  were  gathered  there  to 
make  a  treaty  that  they  bought  them  all  and  the  money  that 
he  received  he  returned  to  them  in  payment  for  eighty  acres  of 
land.  For  a  short  time  they  had  to  go  to  Indiana  to  have  their 
meal  ground  but  it  was  not  long  before  there  was  a  mill  in 
Joliet.  The  Pioneers  of  1832  were  not  helpless  men  but  did 
practically  all  their  own  work.  They  shod  their  own  horses, 
made  their  own  tools,  pails,  barrels,  shingles  and  many  other 
things.  The  people  of  Jackson  Township  were  all  Democrats 
for  the  election  of  1832  every  vote  cast  was  for  Andrew  Jack- 
son.   In  1836,  Henry  died. 


512  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

In  1856,  when  Jackson  was  twenty-two  years  old  he  married 
Elizabeth  Phillips.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  January  1, 1834. 
The  same  year  he  began  farming  on  his  own  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  which  was  in  section  twenty,  just  a 
short  distance  west  of  his  old  home.  He  was  a  very  good  farmer 
and  had  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  township.  He  never  al- 
lowed his  buildings  to  run  down  but  kept  them  painted  and  in 
good  repair  and  he  was  always  known  as  a  very  good  business 
man.  Even  though  the  farm  took  up  much  of  his  time,  he  was 
still  a  prominent  man  in  public  affairs.  He  was  one  of  the 
wealthiest  men  in  the  township.  They  had  three  children, 
Lewis  Henry,  Laura  and  Emma.  Lewis  died  in  1894,  Laura, 
who  married  Elvis  Noel  lives  in  Joliet  and  Emma,  who  mar- 
ried Mr.  McCleary  lives  in  Berkley,  Calif.  Jackson,  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Jackson  Township  died  on  March  2,  1915, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Brown  cemetery  not  far  from  his  old  home. 

He  was  one  of  the  men  who  helped  establish  the  Grange. 
They  had  their  first  meeting  in  the  town  hall  May  10,  1890.  Mr. 
Linebarger  was  elected  treasurer.  Then  in  1893,  they  built 
their  own  hall.  As  a  member  of  the  Grange  he  aided  and  en- 
couraged the  work  of  the  organization  which  was  to  buy  imple- 
ments, twine,  coal,  flour,  salt,  potatoes,  brooms  and  such  things 
at  a  lower  price  for  the  Grangers  and  others  who  wished  to 
put  in  an  order.  He  also  helped  with  the  fairs  which  the 
Grange  held  from  1899  to  1912,  and  with  the  Grange  Chautau- 
qua, which  was  held  at  New  Lenox  in  1893  and  1894. 

Under-Ground  Railroad. — Perhaps  the  account  of  "Under- 
ground Railroads"  in  Will  County  should  have  come  into  the 
chapter  on  transportation.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is  inserted 
here  as  one  of  the  curious  doings  in  our  midst,  one  rarely  re- 
membered now. 

"On  one  occasion,  there  arrived  here  on  one  of  the  night 
trains,  an  interesting  fugitive  of  the  gentler  sex — one  who  was 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  513 

fleeing  from  slavery,  and  something  worse.  It  was  usual  to 
wait  over  until  another  night,  but  in  this  case  there  was  reason 
to  apprehend  that  the  pursuer  was  close  upon  the  track,  im- 
pelled by  more  than  one  passion.  Hence  it  was  thought  the 
safer  plan  to  hasten  on.  Fortunately  it  was  winter,  and  the 
morning  was  snowy  and  the  sleighing  good.  So  Dr.  Adams, 
who  was  one  of  the  fanatics  of  that  day,  brought  out  his  horse 
and  cutter,  and  a  friend  of  mine,  another  fanatic,  handed  into 
the  sleigh  a  lady  closely  veiled,  and  taking  the  ribbons,  started 
out  on  a  sleigh-ride.  He  drove  boldly  through  the  streets,  re- 
turning the  salutations  of  all  he  met,  who  naturally  supposed 
he  was  taking  a  ride  with  his  wife.  The  sleighing  was  good, 
the  horse  fleet,  and  although  the  morning  was  cold,  they  were 
nicely  tucked  in  with  plenty  of  blankets,  buffalo  robes  and  hot 
bricks,  while  the  excitement  of  the  affair  helped  to  render  him 
insensible  to  the  cold.  After  getting  out  of  town  he  dismissed 
all  fears  of  detection,  and  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  romance  of 
the  situation.  He  felt  like  some  Don  Quixote,  rescuing  a  cap- 
tive maiden  from  her  foes.  He  listened  with  rapt  attention  to 
the  thrilling  story  of  her  sufferings  and  her  escape,  not  refus- 
ing to  open  his  heart  in  tender  sympathy,  because,  forsooth,  her 
skin  was  tinged  with  olive.  Thus  they  sped,  swiftly  and  pros- 
perously over  the  ground,  until  in  passing  through  the  timber 
at  Van  Home's  point,  my  friend  having  got  a  little  careless  per- 
haps in  his  driving,  the  cutter  struck  a  stump,  and  presto 
change  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  knight  errant,  captive 
maiden,  buffalo  robes,  blankets  and  hot  bricks,  were  scattered 
promiscuously  in  the  snow !  The  horse,  loosened  from  the  cut- 
ter went  on !  Here  was  a  situation  indeed !  But  the  romance 
had  vanished !  To  add  to  his  embarrassment,  they  were  near 
the  house  of  a  well-known  negro  hater,  and  he  dare  not  apply 
for  help,  and  would  be  only  too  glad  if  not  discovered.  For- 
tunately the  horse  did  not  go  far  before  he  stopped,  turned 
round,  and  'smiling,  looked  upon  the  wreck  he  made/  My  friend 

33— VOL.  1 


514  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

approached  him  with  the  most  pathetic  appeals  to  him  to  stay. 
The  horse  seemed  to  be  touched  with  a  pity  that  was  more 
than  human,  and  allowed  himself  to  be  caught  and  brought 
back,  and  attached  to  the  cutter.  But  this  could  only  be  done 
in  an  imperfect  manner,  as  the  whiffle  tree  attachment  was 
broken.  My  friend  had  to  send  the  rescued  maiden  on  ahead, 
while  he  followed  leading  the  horse.  After  a  tramp  of  two 
miles,  which  the  rescued  maiden  stood  much  better  than  he 
did,  they  arrived  at  the  hospitable  mansion  of  Samuel  Haven, 
fortunately  without  meeting  a  single  soul.  A  good  dinner  and 
plenty  of  hot  coffee  restored  the  spirits  both  of  knight  and. 
maiden,  and  the  cutter  being  in  the  meantime  repaired,  after 
a  tender  parting  with  the  rescued  maiden,  our  knight  returned 
to  the  city,  on  the  whole  well  satisfied  with  the  adventure.  Af- 
terwards, however,  when  the  story  leaked  out,  he  was  not  a 
little  annoyed  at  times,  when  the  neighbors  asked  him  if  he 
had  a  pleasant  ride  with  his  wife ! 

"But  it  was  not  only  the  actual  fugitive  from  slavery  that 
was  in  danger  of  the  man-stealer  in  this  State.  Our  laws  pre- 
sumed every  man  who  had  a  trace  of  African  blood  in  his  veins 
to  be  a  slave,  and  the  burden  of  proof  was  thrown  upon  him.  If 
he  could  not  show  free  papers  he  could  be  arrested,  thrown 
into  jail,  and  advertised  like  a  stray  pig,  and  any  one  who  could 
make  out  a  plausible  claim,  could  take  him  on  payment  of  jail 
and  printer's  fees;  and  if  no  one  claimed  him,  he  could  be  sold 
temporarily  to  the  highest  bidder,  to  pay  the  charges. 

"We  had,  here  in  Joliet,  a  colored  boy  of  the  name  of  Henry 
Belt.  He  was  a  freeman,  and  had  in  his  possession  a  paper 
issued  by  some  clerk,  in  Pennsylvania,  I  think,  certifying  to 
his  freedom.  Henry  was  a  barber  at  the  Exchange,  and  very 
popular,  and  had  many  friends  despite  the  color  of  his  skin.  He 
was  thus  exposed  to  the  eyes  of  a  couple  of  professional  slave 
hunters.  They  saw  that  he  was  a  nice  boy,  and  would  be  worth 
probably  two  or  three  thousand  dollars  in  the  St.  Louis  mar- 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  515 

ket.  While  one  of  them  stayed  to  watch  the  game,  the  other 
went  to  Missouri  and  got  some  trumpt  up  claim  for  a  runaway 
slave,  answering  to  Henry's  description.  They  had  him  ar- 
rested, and  he  was  taken  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  known 
to  be  a  negro-hater,  and  by  him  he  was  quickly  handed  over  to 
the  men-stealers.  But  Henry  had  friends  who  would  not  al- 
low this  without  a  struggle  to  save  him,  and  before  they  could 
get  away  with  their  prey  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  was  procured, 
and  he  was  brought  before  the  Circuit  Judge  for  another  in- 
vestigation. All  this  of  course  produced  great  excitement.  The 
feeling  of  indignation  was  not  confined  to  Abolitionists.  In 
fact  the  efforts  in  his  behalf  were  mainly  made  by  those  who 
would  have  scorned  the  name.  The  trial  came  off  in  the  old  jail, 
(now  demolished).  The  court  room  was  filled  to  overflowing 
with  parties  for  and  against  the  victim.  The  men-stealers  pro- 
duced their  proof,  and  Henry  showed  his  paper.  But  the  judge 
was  of  the  same  stripe  as  the  justice,  and  while  he  summed  up 
the  matter  in  a  long  opinion  worthy  of  "Dogberry,"  it  became 
apparent  how  the  matter  would  go ;  and  when  he  concluded  by 
deciding  that  the  kidnappers  should  have  their  victim,  there 
was  great  rejoicing  on  their  part.  They  already  began  to 
count  their  chickens,  and  they  turned  round  to  take  possession 
of  the  prize,  when  lo !  like  the  Irishman's  flea,  he  was  not  there ! 
While  all  eyes  had  been  intent  upon  the  learned  Judge,  and  all 
ears  listening  to  his  profound  utterances,  Henry's  friends  had 
quietly  taken  possession  of  the  stairway  and  the  space  between 
it,  and  Henry,  in  the  supposed  custody  of  the  sheriff,  had  been 
very  quietly  slipped  through  the  crowd,  and  was  'non  est  in- 
ventus V  Great  was  the  excitement  when  the  fact  was  known. 
The  kidnappers  were  raving.  They  found  great  difficulty  in 
getting  out  of  the  Court  House — everybody  seemed  to  be  in 
their  way.  When  they  got  out,  they  and  those  of  the  crowd 
who  sympathized,  of  course  made  at  once  for  the  houses  of  the 
'dam'd  abolitionists/  to  search  for  their  victim.    Some  admitted 


516  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

them — others  kept  them  out,  and  demanded  legal  steps  before 
they  would  submit  to  have  their  homes  searched,  which  only- 
made  the  kidnappers  more  certain  that  their  prey  was  there. 
I  remember  one  humble  house  which  the  crowd  threatened  to 
pull  down — but  they  didn't.  All  this  delay  was  favorable  to 
the  escape  of  Henry.  Well,  all  the  search  was  vain.  Henry  was 
nowhere  to  be  found — never  was  found;  and  after  hanging 
around  town  for  a  few  days  the  kidnappers  gave  up  the  job, 
believing  that  he  had  escaped  by  that  mysterious  means,  the 
'underground  railroad/ 

"The  fact  was,  the  abolitionists  had  nothing  to  do  with 
Henry's  escape,  and  knew  nothing  about  it.  It  was  effected 
by  different  parties  altogther,  and  Henry  was  concealed  for  a 
while  in  the  old  wooden  block  on  Chicago  street,  which  was  not 
an  abolition  block !  I  guess  Frank  Mitchell  could  tell  something 
about  it. 

"I  believe  that  this  occurred  while  Risley  was  sheriff.  It 
used  to  be  said  that  that  old  jail  never  could  hold  a  negro  under 
his  administration.  I  do  not  think  that  this  ought  to  subject 
his  memory  to  very  much  obloquy. 

The  Latest  Indian-Mound.— The  following  account  is  taken 
from  the  Joliet  Herald-News  for  July  22, 1928.  Adele  Fay  Wil- 
liams, who  writes  each  week  for  this  paper,  contributes  an 
account  of  Indian  Mounds  beside  graves  of  pioneers.  Oakwood 
cemetery  was  used  by  the  Red  Man  as  a  burial  place  before 
the  Whites  buried  there: 

"Interesting  things  may  go  on  in  one's  own  neighborhood, 
one's  own  honest-to-goodness  home  town,  strange  as  it  may 
seem  to  home  folk. 

"Among  these  interesting  things  may  be  reckoned  the  vari- 
ous telling  explorations  of  Indian  mounds,  chief  among  which 
are  the  important  researches  of  George  Langford,  who  has 
become  internationally  known  thru  his  study  of  Indian  mounds. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  517 

"One  of  the  most  recent  explorations,  or  surveys,  has  been 
sent  out  by  the  Illinois  State  Archaeological  Survey  for  Chica- 
go University,  headed  by  Dr.  Fay  Cooper  Cole,  which  has  fin- 
ished a  session  of  study  here  which  will  take  an  important  place 
in  the  history  of  the  work  in  Illinois. 

"The  place  is  on  the  very  edge  of  Oakwood  cemetery,  at 
the  south  on  the  brow  of  a  declivity  where  an  Indian  mound  has 
been  partially  dissected,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  accompanying 
sketch. 

"Here  graduate  students  from  Chicago  university  have 
carefully,  even  tenderly,  explored  the  mound  to  avoid  destroy- 
ing any  of  the  valuable  relics  to  be  found  there. 

"The  cut  thru  the  center  of  the  mound  may  be  seen  in  the 
picture,  in  its  woodsy  setting.  But  now  the  work  is  done,  and 
the  student  investigators  will  take  another  week  to  build  up 
the  mound  exactly  as  it  was  before.  Only  a  smallish  part  of 
the  mound  has  been  tapped  and  'Conservation'  has  been  the 
motto  of  the  group,  according  to  Wilton  Krogman,  director  in 
charge. 

"Altho  Mr.  Krogman  considers  himself  a  student,  he  is  a 
graduate  of  the  University  of  Chicago  and  has  had  three  years 
graduate  work  in  anthropology.  He  says  he  is  in  the  work  up 
to  his  neck.    As  he  is  six  feet  four  it  means  a  lot. 

"One  hundred  'Alas-poor  Yoricks' — that  is  to  say  perfect 
or  nearly  perfect  skulls  of  Indians  were  found  in  the  brief 
time  of  work  there. 

"By  arrangement  with  Arthur  Leach,  head  of  the  cemetery 
board,  the  university  workers  were  to  be  moderate  and  con- 
siderate in  their  diggings  and  scrapings  and  consequently  the 
work  progressed  swiftly  with  perfect  satisfaction  to  the  work- 
ers and  the  town  authorities. 

"The  attitude  of  these  workers  who  are  dedicating  them- 
selves to  scientific  research  with  the  whole  hearted,  unflagging 
energy,  is  an  interesting  examplar  of  the  results  of  enthusiasm. 


518  HISTORY  OP  WILL  COUNTY 

"It  was  interesting  to  watch  the  work  as  it  progressed  in 
that  sunny  corner  of  Oakwood,  where  the  big  oak  tree  shaded 
the  graves  of  some  of  Joliet's  pioneer  citizens  side  by  side  with 
the  mound  that  held  so  many  relics  of  the  noble  red  man. 

"Thorne  Deuel,  one  of  these  notable  workers,  was  a  former 
major  in  the  U.  S.  Aviation  Corps,  a  graduate  student  of 
Columbia  University,  as  well  as  a  graduate  of  West  Point. 

"Robert  R.  Jones  was  a  member  of  the  class  of  '21,  a  mem- 
ber of  Carroll  College,  Waukeshaw,  Wisconsin,  and  of  the  1923 
class  of  Iowa  university  and  is  now  hoping  to  achieve  the  dis- 
tinction of  a  Ph.  D.,  at  Chicago.  Mr.  Jones  is  most  interested 
in  museum  work.  Robert  Engeberg,  one  of  the  younger  ones, 
has  just  been  graduated  from  Chicago,  class  of  '28,  and  ex- 
pects to  make  archaeology  his  life  work. 

"Henri  Stearns  Denninger  is  a  student  in  Rush  Medical 
School,  expecting  to  become  an  ear,  nose  and  throat  specialist. 
He  has  both  French  and  German  blood  in  his  veins.  And  George 
Karl  Gustav  Neumann  came  from  Hamburg,  Germany,  as 
may  be  supposed.  He  came  in  1920  to  study  at  the  U.  of  C, 
his  Mecca.  He  will  be  graduated  in  1930  in  order  to  follow  phy- 
sical anthropology  and  probably  museum  work  as  his  profes- 
sion. 

"All  this  serves  as  an  interesting  cross  section  on  the  ideals 
of  a  certain  influential  portion  of  the  students  of  today,  some- 
thing that  was  disclosed  by  the  digging  of  the  Indian  mound. 

"This  exploring  troupe  was  housed  in  a  commodious  tent 
just  below  the  hill,  in  sight  of  the  mound.  Nor  was  the  ardor 
of  the  diggers  dampened  by  frequent  rains. 

"From  here  they  will  depart  for  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  there 
are  more  mounds  to  conquer. 

"And  there  were  other  interesting  circumstances  observed 
in  connection  with  this  ancient  Indian  mound." 

Later  reports  (July  29,  1928),  stated  that  they  had  taken 
out  one  hundred  skeletons  from  the  trench  through  the  center 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  519 

of  the  mound.  The  students  who  made  the  explorations  esti- 
mate that  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
skeletons  remain  in  the  ground.  No  Indian  utensils  were  found. 
A  few  pieces  of  pottery  were  uncovered.  The  absence  of  any 
of  these  things  seems  to  indicate  some  pestilence  killed  this 
large  number.  It  was  a  common  grave.  The  bodies  were  placed 
in  a  miscellaneous  order,  some  prostrate,  some  sitting  up  with 
knees  folded  against  the  chest,  and  others  on  the  side.  The 
placing  indicates  that  the  bodies  were  placed  in  the  grave  in  a 
hurry.  They  were  found  eight  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
mound.  This  indicates  that  earth  was  carried  there  and  put 
above  the  common  grave  as  a  sort  of  monument. 

The  last  Indian  Treaty  was  made  in  Chicago  in  1833  and  the 
last  Indians  left  these  parts  in  1835.  At  least  two  white  set- 
tlers lived  within  a  mile  of  the  mound  as  early  as  1827.  Neither 
the  records  of  the  settlers  nor  the  traditions  of  the  Indians 
give  any  reports  of  this  burial.  It  is  safe  to  assume  that  the 
interment  occurred  more  than  two  centuries  ago. 

"Ancient  Fires  and  Lights  of  Will  County". — (By  William 
Grinton.  Published  in  the  Joliet  News,  October  5,  1912.)  Will 
county  pioneers  have  lived  in  parts  of  the  two  greatest  centur- 
ies of  history  in  marvels  of  human  achievement  and  improve- 
ment, and  the  evolution  of  illumination  from  the  tallow  dip  to 
to  the  fierce  lights  of  the  twentieth  century  has  kept  the  pace 
with  all  the  others  and  yet  the  little  candle  power  is  the  unit 
by  which  light  is  scientifically  estimated. 

Next  to  the  candle  came  lard  oil  and  whale  oil.  Sperm  oil 
was  considered  the  last  word  in  illumination  until  camphene 
(oil  of  turpentine  distilled  over  quick  lime)  took  the  center  of 
the  stage  and  played  the  lime-light  role,  but  it  proved  to  be 
so  explosive  and  dangerous  that  it  had  to  be  diluted  with  three 
parts  alcohol  and  then  bore  the  name  of  burning  fluid,  which 


520  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

made  a  brilliant  and  comparatively  safe  light,  and  sold  for 
about  ninety  cents  a  gallon. 

Whale  oil,  as  a  natural  resource,  was  of  such  importance 
that  the  conservation  of  whales  became  a  subject  of  as  keen 
interest  as  the  conservation  of  other  natural  resources  is  at 
the  present  day.  One  man  remembers,  in  1850,  reading  in  the 
New  York  Evangelist,  under  the  big  scare  heads,  a  first  page 
full  column  article,  ringing  the  alarm  bell  calling  the  people  to 
the  rescue  of  the  sperm  whale,  lest,  from  indiscriminate 
slaughter  it  become  extinct  and  the  country  left  in  darkness. 

A  short  time  before  the  war,  kerosene  came  into  common 
use  for  lights  and  soon  drove  most  of  its  competitors  out  of 
business,  where  gas  could  not  be  had.  It  was  used  by  Republi- 
can wide-awakes  and  Democrat  invincibles  in  the  Lincoln- 
Douglas  campaign  of  1860.  The  torches  for  the  Buchanan- 
Fremont  campaign  in  1856  were  made  by  wrapping  candle  wick 
around  the  end  of  a  lath  and  dipping  it  in  tar. 

The  nights  were  filled  with  the  music  of  Grosh's  band;  men 
and  boys  marched  bravely  and  gayly  through  the  streets,  sure 
they  were  having  the  political  time  of  their  lives;  but  0,  they 
were  sad,  "in  the  cold  gray  dawn  of  the  morning  after,"  when 
they  saw  their  Sunday  suits  ruined  by  the  dripping  tar-tears 
of  the  torches. 

At  big  political  mass  meetings  and  rallies,  bon  fires  fur- 
nished the  light,  and  tar  barrels  the  active  principle  which  was 
supposed  to  throw  light,  from  Democratic  or  Republican  points 
of  view,  respectively,  on  the  dark  and  tangled  problems  of 
African  slavery;  the  Missouri  compromise;  squatter  sov- 
ereignty and  the  obiter  dictum  decision  of  Chief  Justice  Taney 
in  the  Dred  Scott  case:  that,  "A  negro  was  an  inferior  being; 
so  inferior  that  he  had  no  rights  a  white  man  was  bound  to 
respect." 

The  proverb  that  "Sometimes  a  singed  cat  is  better  than  it 
looks"  was  verified  in  the  sandy  land  township  of  Reed. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  521 

About  1864  William  Henneberry,  in  digging  a  well  for 
water,  struck  coal — raw  material  for  fire.  Braidwood  became 
a  boom  city,  and  soon  had  a  five  thousand  population.  This 
Will  county  coal  brought  the  original  Rolling  Mill  to  Joliet, 
in  '69,  and  it  grew  and  grew,  with  its  "pillar  of  fire  by  night 
and  its  cloud  of  smoke  by  day,"  a  leader  of  the  iron  industries 
of  the  country,  and  Reed,  the  singed  cat  township  of  the  county, 
put  on  a  "Cheshire  cat  smile"  that  has  not  come  off. 

Kilpatrick's  Currency. — A  little  incident  is  related  of  his 
coming,  which  is  at  the  same  time  interesting  and  amusing. 
When  Kelly  came  to  the  neighborhood,  it  was  with  the  object 
of  purchasing  a  piece  of  land,  with  a  view  of  making  it  a  home. 
Having  fixed  upon  a  tract  belonging  to  John  Kilpatrick,  which 
land  was  for  sale,  a  bargain  was  struck,  the  deed  made  and  the 
purchase-money  paid  down — $800,  all  in  Mexican  dollars.  Kelly, 
having  bought  his  home,  went  his  way,  intending  to  return  the 
next  season  to  put  out  a  crop  and  make  improvements,  and 
Kilpatrick  pocketed  his  cash,  congratulating  himself  on  having 
made  a  good  sale.  By  and  by  Kilpatrick  wished  to  use  some  of 
the  money,  and  it  was  paid  out  in  various  ways — some  of  it  pay- 
ing bills  at  the  store  and  other  amounts  being  loaned  to  neigh- 
bors, who  used  it  for  different  purposes,  so  that,  in  a  short 
time,  it  was  all  in  circulation.  All  at  once  it  was  discovered 
that  the  whole  lot  of  coin  was  bogus.  In  those  times,  money 
did  not  leave  a  community  and  circulate  so  rapidly  as  now,  so 
that,  although  the  $800  had  all  been  paid  out,  it  had  not  left 
the  neighborhood,  and  small  amounts  were  in  the  hands  of 
almost  everybody.  By  common  consent,  and  a  suspicion  that, 
perhaps,  after  all,  the  money  was  genuine,  it  continued  to 
circulate  and  was  paid  out  and  taken  at  par.  Gradually  the 
coins  became  scarcer,  indicating  that  they  were  finding  their 
way  out  in  the  world;  but  "Kiipatrick's  currency"  was  a  stand- 
ing joke  for  years  after  the  last  piece  was  seen.    Kilpatrick  and 


522  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

Kelly  were  both  innocent  parties,  having  both  received  and 
paid  out  the  "stuff",  supposing  it  to  be  good.  Kelly  returned  in 
the  Spring  following  and  occupied  his  farm,  and  was  much 
surprised  to  learn  that  it  had  been  bought  with  counterfeit 
money,  and  gratified  that  it  had  been  placed  beyond  redemp- 
tion. 

Stock  Running  at  Large — 1835. — By  way  of  embellishment, 
we  draw  on  "Forty  Years  Ago,"  for  the  following  anecdote, 
which  occurred  while  Demmond  &  Curry  kept  a  store  in  this 
stone  block.  Dr.  Adams  had  a  fancy  hog,  one  of  the  long- 
nosed  kind,  that  are  said  to  stick  the  snout  through  the  fence 
and  pick  off  the  third  row  of  corn.  In  those  days,  all  stock 
was  permitted  to  run  at  large  in  the  street.  This  hog  of  Adams' 
seemed  to  know  in  a  moment  when  Demmond  &  Curry's  cel- 
lar door  was  open,  and  no  matter  in  what  part  of  the  town  he 
might  be  wandering,  he  instantly  appeared  upon  the  scene  and 
slipped  in.  As  they  did  a  large  barter  business,  they  of  course 
took  in  a  great  deal  of  butter,  and  thus  many  a  jar  was  ren- 
dered unfit  for  anything  but  a  Chicago  restaurant,  by  the  hog, 
and  the  merchants  swore  vengenance  against  him.  One  rainy 
night,  as  they  were  closing  up,  they  heard  him  enter  the  cellar, 
and,  instead  of  driving  him  out,  closed  the  door  and  held  him 
prisoner.  They  caught  him,  and  after  saturating  him 
thoroughly  with  spirits  of  turpentine,  took  him  to  the  door, 
touched  the  candle  to  him  and  bade  him  go.  HE  WENT.  With 
an  unearthly  yell  he  tore  through  the  streets,  lightening  up 
the  darkness  with  the  lurid  blaze,  and  terribly  frightening  the 
canal  people,  men  and  women,  who  verily  believed  it  was  the 
"divil  himself,"  and  they  called  upon  all  the  saints  in  the  calen- 
dar for  protection.  On,  on  he  went,  putting  straight  for  the 
river,  like  the  swine  of  old,  plunged  in  the  stream  and  silence 
and  darkness  reigned. 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  523 

Snowstorm — 1854-55. — During  the  Winter  of  1854-55,  oc- 
curred a  great  snowstorm,  which  is,  no  doubt,  yet  remembered 
by  many.  The  train  which  left  Joliet  at  noon  on  the  25th  day 
of  January,  with  350  passengers,  22  of  whom  were  members 
of  the  Illinois  Legislature,  was  brought  to  a  full  stop  when 
near  Dwight.  The  weather  had  grown  cold  and  the  engines 
had  frozen  up,  and  they  were  utterly  unable  to  proceed.  They 
were  held  in  this  condition  for  six  days  and  nights,  during 
which  it  was  excessively  cold,  and  there  was  much  discomfort, 
to  use  no  stronger  expression.  It  was  several  miles  to  timber, 
and  the  stock  of  fuel  carried  by  the  train  was  soon  exhausted. 
The  seats  of  the  cars  and  also  the  second-class  cars  were  cut 
up  for  fuel.  They  had  no  provisions  the  first  day  excepting  a 
few  cans  of  oysters  and  a  few  boxes  of  crackers,  which  were 
in  the  freight  car.  Relief,  to  some  extent,  was  brought  in 
sleighs  from  the  surrounding  farmhouses  and  the  nearest  vil- 
lages; and  on  the  seventh  day,  an  engine  from  Joliet  succeeded 
in  forcing  its  way  through  and  bringing  the  shipwrecked  train 
back  to  Joliet.  Some  of  the  Legislature,  among  them  Messrs. 
Parks  and  Osgood,  went  forward  from  Dwight  in  sleighs. 

Our  Sac  War. — As  this  is  one  of  the  early  settled  portions 
of  Will  County,  its  history  could  hardly  be  considered  complete 
without  some  special  reference  to  the  Indians  and  the  Sac  war 
of  1832,  so  often  mentioned  in  these  pages.  Although  nearly 
a  half-century  has  passed  since  those  rather  "ticklish"  times, 
and  most  of  the  participants  are  gone  where  "wars  and  rumors 
of  wars"  come  not  to  disturb  their  peace  and  tranquillity,  there 
are  a  few  left  who  remember  well  the  great  excitement  of  that 
period.  And  the  very  Indians  themselves  are  almost  forgot- 
ten by  the  masses,  or  only  remembered  through  the  reports 
from  the  distant  West  of  their  robbing,  plundering  and  mur- 
dering.   But  on  the  18th  day  of  May,  1832,  Hickory  Creek  Set- 


524  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

tlement,  for  the  small  number  of  inhabitants  it  contained,  per- 
haps was  about  as  excited  a  community  as  one  will  generally 
meet  with  in  half  a  life-time.  On  that  day  news  was  brought 
to  the  settlement  of  the  death  and  destruction  being  dealt  out 
by  Black  Hawk  and  his  dusky  warriors.  A  committee  of  a 
dozen  men  who  had  the  best  horses  were  appointed  to  go  to 
Plainfield  and  reconnoiter,  and  bring  back  news  as  to  the  truth 
of  the  reports.  Thomas  and  Abraham  Francis  were  on  the  com- 
mittee, and  the  news  brought  back  was  not  calculated  to  allay 
the  existing  excitement  in  the  least.  On  approaching  Plain- 
field,  they  discovered  Indians  firing  on  the  fort  or  blockhouse, 
and  the  committee  stood  not  on  their  retirement,  but  fell  back 
precipitately,  to  put  it  into  the  mildest  form  possible.  On 
their  return,  they  reported  to  the  settlers  that  the  Indians  were 
coming  and  killing  everything  before  them.  A  council  of  war 
was  called  at  "Uncle  Billy"  Gougar's,  and  it  was  determined  to 
seek  safety  in  flight,  and  on  the  18th  of  May  they  commenced 
the  line  of  march.  The  majority  retreated  toward  the  Wabash 
settlements,  while  some  few  went  to  Chicago.  The  bustle  and 
excitement  of  getting  ready  to  start,  and  the  momentary  ex- 
pectation of  hearing  the  terrific  yells  of  the  savages,  gave  rise 
to  some  ludicrous  scenes,  as  serious  as  was  the  cause  of  alarm. 
Mr.  Pence's  girls  came  to  Mr.  Gougar  and  asked  him  to  yoke 
up  their  oxen  for  them.  "Yes,  in  a  minute,"  said  he;  but  be- 
fore he  could  get  ready  to  do  so,  the  brave  girls  had  yoked  the 
cattle  themselves,  hitched  them  to  the  wagon,  and  were  gone 
on  the  way  toward  safety.  (Young  ladies  of  Will  County,  how 
many  of  you  could  perform  such  a  feat  today,  if  an  emergency 
should  arise  to  demand  it?)  The  first  day  the  cavalcade  ar- 
rived within  four  miles  of  the  Kankakee  River,  where  they 
encamped  for  the  night,  intending  to  start  at  daylight  and  drive 
to  the  river  before  breakfast.  But  just  after  starting  the  next 
morning,  a  man  named  Lionbarger  came  up  hatless,  riding 
bare-back,  and  did  "a  tale  unfold"  of  Indians  in  pursuit  and  of 


HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY  525 

murder  and  carnage,  that  completely  dispelled  the  appetites 
of  the  already  frightened  fugitives,  and  they  did  not  stop  for 
breakfast  until  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  "thirty  miles 
away"  from  their  encampment  of  the  previous  night.  As  the 
women  and  children  would  see  the  trees  along  the  way  that  had 
been  burned  and  blackened,  they  would  shriek,  Indians!  and 
thus  the  march  or  retreat  was  continued  through  to  a  place 
of  safety.  It  was  discovered  afterward  that  Lionbarger  had 
mistaken  fence-stakes  for  Indians,  and  hence  his  story  of  the 
pursuit  and  of  his  own  extreme  fright.  He  rode,  it  is  said, 
eighty  miles  without  stopping,  bare-headed  and  without  a  sad- 
dle, a  feat  that  has  never  been  excelled,  as  we  are  aware  of, 
even  by  Jim  Robinson  the  great  bare-back  circus-rider.  But 
the  storm  of  war  soon  passed;  the  dark  and  lurid  clouds  rolled 
away  toward  the  west,  and  the  sun  came  forth  in  all  his  glory — 
the  olive-branch  of  peace  waved  over  the  land,  and  the  fugitive 
settlers  returned  to  their  claims  in  July  of  the  same  year  which 
witnessed  their  precipitate  retreat,  never  more  to  be  disturbed 
in  their  peaceful  pursuits  by  the  red  men  of  the  forest,  who, 
like  Dickens'  little  Jo  before  the  "peeler,"  have  moved  on  be- 
fore the  "superior  race,"  the  white  men,  and  are  still  moving 
on  toward  the  "golden  sunset,"  where  erelong  they  will  hear 
the  roar  of  the  last  wave  that  will  settle  over  them  forever. 

His  first  Winter  in  the  settlement  was  that  of  the  "deep 
snow,"  the  epoch  from  which  the  few  survivors  who  remember 
it,  date  all  important  events.  During  the  time  this  great  fall 
of  snow  remained  on  the  ground,  and  which  was  four  feet 
deep  on  a  level,  he  used  to  cut  down  trees,  that  his  horses  and 
cows  might  "brouse"  upon  the  tender  twigs.  With  little  else 
to  feed  his  stock,  from  sleek,  fat  animals  in  the  Fall  of  the  year, 
they  came  forth  in  the  Spring — those  that  survived  the  Winter 
— nothing  but  "skin  and  bones."  He  would  sit  down  and 
weep  at  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  dumb  beasts,  and  his  inabil- 
ity to  render  them  material  aid  in  the  way  of  nourishing  food. 


526  HISTORY  OF  WILL  COUNTY 

But  it  used  to  exhaust  his  wits  to  provide  food  for  his  family 
at  all  times  during  that  first  Winter.  Once  they  run  out  of 
meal,  and  though  he  had  sent  to  Chicago  for  a  barrel  of  flour 
(the  mode  of  communication  with  Chicago  not  then  being  equal 
to  what  it  is  at  the  present  day),  it  was  long  in  coming;  and 
before  its  arrival  the  larder  had  got  down  to  a  few  biscuits, 
laid  aside  for  the  smallest  children.  Mrs.  Stevens  says  her 
father  declared  if  the  flour  did  not  come  he  would  take  as  many 
of  his  children  as  he  could  carry  on  his  back,  and  attempt  to 
make  the  settlements,  but  good  luck  or  providence  was  on  his 
side,  and  the  barrel  of  flour  came  before  they  were  reduced  to 
this  extremity. 

A  sad  story  was  told  us  by  Mrs.  Stevens,  who,  though  but  a 
little  girl  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age  at  the  time,  remem- 
bers the  occurrence  distinctly.  It  was  of  a  family  who  had 
settled  near  the  present  village  of  Blue  Island,  and  during  this 
deep  snow  their  store  of  provisions  became  exhausted,  and  the 
husband  and  father  started  for  the  settlements  to  procure  fresh 
supplies.  Being  unavoidably  detained  by  the  snow,  the  last 
crumb  disappeared,  and  the  mother,  in  the  very  face  of  starva- 
tion, started  for  Chicago,  as  is  supposed,  to  get  food  for  her 
children,  and  got  lost  on  the  prairie  and  was  either  frozen  to 
death  or  killed  by  wolves.  The  former  supposition  is  probably 
the  correct  one,  and  after  freezing  was  devoured  by  the  wolves, 
as  nothing  was  ever  found  but  her  bones,  which  were  recogniz- 
ed by  her  shoes.  Her  children  were  discovered  by  some  chance 
passer-by  when  almost  starved  to  death,  and  were  taken  and 
cared  for  by  the  few  kind-hearted  people  in  the  country  at  the 
time.  The  husband's  return  was  a  sad  one.  His  wife  dead 
and  eaten  by  wolves,  and  his  children  cared  for  by  strangers, 
it  would  almost  seem  that  he  had  little  left  to  live  or  care  for. 


m 


M 


m  § 


¥" 


w 


-><#  ■■■  *° 


At***      r 


\ 


•^^fe-" 


dpi 


If 


;..v.;V 


m 


^Sffca.  ^ 


